


In Your Dreams

by VioletHyena



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Reality, Anthro!Zoro, Aphrodisiacs, Cambion, Cambion!Zoro, Canon-Typical Violence, Denial of Feelings, Dream Bubbles, Emotional Constipation, Follows Canon, Incubus!Zoro, Lucid Dreaming, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, anaphrodisiac, bottom!Sanji, demon!Zoro, drugs - mild aphrodisiac, energy consumption, hammock sex, incubus, long emotional build, more to be added as written, sexual energy, top!Zoro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 12:23:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 61,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2428628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletHyena/pseuds/VioletHyena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoro is a cambion, which means he feeds on sexual energy. A small crew like the Strawhats, its not normally enough to keep a cambion satisfied, but Sanji happens to be an abnormally sexually driven cook so it usually works out okay for Zoro. At least, it works out alright until Sanji finds out that Zoro's been taking energy from him through his dreams. </p><p>For Sanji, he's trying to wade through the confusing mess of emotions for a certain marimo after a surprise kiss on the battle feild. It's not easy to do on a normal basis. It certainly isn't any easier when the man he has deeper feelings for is a cambion. </p><p>Then everyone learns how important it is to keep their local cambion fed, for if they don't, someone might get eaten. literally.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> I can safely blame coloursagainstthewall for this wonderful idea. FIRST she gives me the idea for Sanji in Drag, and THEN she gives me Incubus!Zoro before I can even finish the first idea. She knows I love both of these things.
> 
> Anyway, I REALLY tried hard to make this a short little fic because I have other things I want to focus on. That didn’t quite work out. seems to be up to 23k and keeps going.
> 
> This is really Cambion!Zoro because incubi are dream spirits/demons. But tomato-tamoto, he’s a demon that takes sexual energy; I just tend to take kinky plots and make them more complicated.

Zoro was a cambion.

 

He didn’t advertise it. He did not inform any of his straw-hat nakama. To him it was not anything to bring up because it was just as significant to him as being from the East Blue. It just meant that his mother was human and his father had been an incubus.

 

For Zoro, it was more of an annoying condition he had to maintain. Luckily, it was not one he had to do physically. He could slip into sleep and go into other peoples‘ dreams within a radius of a half mile or so. He could skim sexually charged people to keep himself sedated. It was like breathing or eating. His body and mind needed it to function correctly. It was never a primal hunger to ignore but one to sedate. It kept him human and in control of himself. As long as he was near people it was never an issue. He never took too much to make anyone sick and sometimes he considered it a community service if someone was really sexually repressed. Those were always good meals.

 

Being on a small crew in the middle of the ocean concerned him quite a bit, especially since Luffy had as much sexual interest as a rock, Nami’s interest was mainly money, and Usopp was still getting comfortable living on the sea. Zoro was thankful for the frequent trips to land while in tiny boats. He thought he’d go insane otherwise. Nami and Usopp had normal interests in sex, but there was not a high lust content for a cambion to feed on for weeks at a time on the sea; not to mention he knew if he did dip into their physical energy he was sure to make them ill overnight.

 

Sanji was both a saving grace and a curse when he joined. The cook had a very high sex drive; one that could easily sedate Zoro’s incubus nature on a day to day basis. It was not only evident in the way he crooned over Nami but the scent of lust rolled off the man in oceanic waves when ever he saw the woman in so much as a tank top or open belly shirt. Sanji was so body focused that what Zoro took from his dreams at night would return the next day while serving the navigator her various snacks.

 

Zoro couldn’t read minds, but he did end up spending time in dreams. He never had anything to compare his dream journeys to until the crew visited Skypiea. Entering one’s dream was like pushing through the thick clouds and into the strange foggy sea. It was often just a bubble when he looked at it from the outside but the feelings he got from each puffy cloud was a good indicator of lust, fear, or joy; or pure adventure in Luffy’s case. The rules were more intuitive to him in dreams and over the years of feeding -since young adolescence when he hit puberty- he learned what he could do in them. He could take other forms and manipulate them to a degree; especially when they were sexually charged.

 

The curse to Sanji’s grace was the fact that Sanji’s swooning over women carried on into his dreams. This annoyed Zoro but he could ignore it for the most part; mainly since his preference was for men. The sexual energy itself was still Sanji’s, no matter what stirred the cook’s libido.

 

Sanji also annoyed him on the ship in the physical world. Usually it was minor insults and Zoro was a man who tried not to use his incubus abilities to mess with his nakama. He liked to give people privacy and respect because he liked it in return. People also tended to be very sensitive about sexuality; especially men like Sanji.

 

But sometimes Sanji REALLY ticked him off or perhaps once in a blue moon Zoro was feeling particularly impish when he was hungry. On occasion, through the months on sea, from island to island, Zoro had seduced Sanji in his dreams. He never used his own image and never took the form of a woman to pander to Sanji’s fantasy land. And, even for a dream, seducing the cook was... _easy_. Zoro had perhaps thought the first time he tried it that it would trigger a spiraling nightmare sequence. On the contrary, Sanji’s lust spiked just as it did with women and it dissolved into some very interesting fantasies with the cook. Those nights were always more fun for Zoro, even though it was just sexual energy. There was a difference in _taste_ in energies. Sure he could survive off of any lust, but Zoro's preferences were still his. He tended to stay away from sleazy porn-esque dreams. They didn’t satisfy him and after awaking he tended to feel dirty or greasy after feeding. Sanji didn’t feel like that. It was often more passion and romance than perverse sexuality; but that was there too.

 

The most amusing part of showing Sanji homoerotic dreams was the next morning, when Sanji went uncharacteristically quiet and tended to stick to the galley for longer periods of time; presumably to think or work on recipes. Zoro wasn’t exactly sure if Sanji was embarrassed about the dreams or if he even remembered having them, but Sanji was always shorter tempered with the male half of the crew and never in the mood for games then. Those days were the most fun to tease the cook though.

 

* * *

 

Drawing energy from dreams, Zoro didn’t need the physical act. There were some benefits for physical contact of course. It was much more potent because lust was so connected to the body. It could heal him faster than skimmed dream lust and acted as an adrenaline rush; giving him strength and focus. It was like a drug. It _could_ be addictive if he relied on it too heavily, but he didn’t. He refused to. If he was going to be the strongest swordsman, he couldn’t rely on others for his strength.

 

There were times when he needed it though. Healing from injuries after a severe fight could always be done through dreams, but when he needed to heal in a dire situation in battle, it certainly qualified for a time to use a drug; especially when he needed to protect his nakama. Chopper had his rum ball and Zoro had this.

 

The crew happened to be in that sort of situation. Luffy had gotten them into some trouble on an island called Bazooka. They’d been separated, mostly because the inhabitants had some high tech weaponry that they hadn’t been prepared for. Zoro was with Sanji, Nami, and Chopper. The latter two were unconscious from a surprise attack. Zoro’s left arm was numb and he guessed broken because he couldn't grip a sword. Sanji looked shaky on his normally iron firm legs. They had refuge behind a half broken building and laid Chopper and Nami down while they determined their next step. They had to get back to the Going Merry and hope everyone else was there. Unfortunately, the people with weapons were between them and the harbor.

 

“If you can still run, I can deflect their blows,“ Zoro told Sanji as he crouched by the wall. They were both bruised and bleeding and Sanji had been pacing.

 

"I can run," Sanji said in an aggravated tone and was gnawing on the end of a half spent cigarette since they could breath in that spot. "Can you even lift your swords?" It was a fair question since with one arm he knew he could not. It was just held limply to his side. He would need all three swords to hold off those weapons.

 

"Hey," Zoro gestured towards Nami vaguely, "remember when Nami wore her bikini?" Sanji's scowl quickly dissolved into the dopey expression of happiness and he removed the cigarette to release a puff of smoke. He reminisced, but also looked confused at the change of topic and probably why _Zoro_ of all people had brought it up.

 

While Sanji was caught up in images of Nami in her fine new bikini that she’d gotten on the island, his lust was piqued. Zoro could sense it; it was really too easy to turn the cook's mind to sex. Zoro stood and grabbed the front of Sanji's shirt with his good hand and yanked him into a hard kiss. Probably the only reason he didn't get kicked in the face was because of the shock value. The lust spike that was brought to the surface led straight to that pool of sexual energy that resided near one's gut. Zoro pulled it with the kiss, devouring what had built up in Sanji's cache but stopped before he started drinking the type of physical energy that would be needed for Sanji to run properly. It wasn't exactly easy to stop when his body was so battered but Zoro managed by shoving Sanji back from him; causing the cook to stumble. Sanji tasted good, better than most. Incubus hunger was not an easy thing to curb when the energy was damn near perfection.

 

He focused what he took to his broken limb and ignored his other minor injuries. Pain swelled in his flesh for a hot burning moment before the limb tingled as though awaking from being asleep. Zoro shook off the freshly healed feeling and drew all of his swords; which caused even more surprise added to Sanji's face. Zoro savored the expression because Sanji never wore it for very long or often. "I can fight. So now you can play white knight," Zoro said before he put the hilt of Wado Ichimonji in his mouth and bit down.

 

Sanji's face flushed red, anger and confusion most prominent before he started to yell at him, "What did you _do_ -"

 

Zoro didn't wait for Sanji to process his 20 questions. He ran around the corner of the building, trusting Sanji to get Nami and Chopper to the ship safely. First: Survival. Second: Awkward shipmate explanations.

 


	2. It's Not Love, It's Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji finally confronts Zoro about that damn kiss.

They did, in fact, survive. Chopper ran around tending to everyone, even through his own exhaustion. The doctor was very surprised when he inspected Zoro since he _swore_ he’d heard a major bone breakage hours earlier, only to find the limb sore and swollen, but bones intact. Chopper still wanted him to rest but Zoro was more concerned with training so his bones wouldn’t break again.

 

Sanji was strangely absent while they healed; spending more time with the girls or in the galley. Zoro let him be. He was sure Sanji was extra pissed at him for the kiss. He’d overstepped bounds he shouldn’t have. He thought maybe if he waited long enough Sanji would ignore it and they could go back to their usual arguing about Sanji’s stupid fawning over every woman he met.

 

Sanji’s dream cloud was absent of the usual fantasies, but that was almost expected since Zoro had physically drained him of all sexual energy on the battle field. So the dreams didn’t look pleasant from afar. The feelings replacing the normal ones were full of anxiety and discomfort. Not quite nightmare spiraling, but uncomfortable enough that Zoro didn’t even enter the cloud until he regained most of his energy back. Instead, he drew his nightly energy from Usopp, Nami, Robin, and Chopper; rotating so as to not exhaust their already dwindled energy supplies. It was nowhere near as satisfying as it was in Sanji’s dreams, but it would do until the cook's emotions settled down.

  
Finally, after a week of eerie silence, Sanji approached him while he was taking a nap on the warm, sunny deck and kicked him in the side.

 

“Hey.” Zoro glared up at Sanji, rubbing his ribs, “What do you want, stupid cook?” Sanji had a freshly lit cigarette in his fingertips and he looked ready to get back into their normal arguments.

 

“ _You_ have some explaining to do,” Sanji said sternly.

 

“If you’re looking for who ever raided the fridge you should talk to the captain,” Zoro said moodily as he scratched his head tiredly.

 

“I’m _not_ talking about that.” Sanji frowned. “I’ll get to Luffy later.” Zoro scoffed, amused, but Sanji went back to his first strict tone soon enough. “On Bazooka Island, you… went temporarily crazy or suicidal and you kissed me.”

 

“Ah, damn it.” Zoro wished Sanji had just forgotten the whole thing.

 

Sanji continued, face tinged red, “I don’t know that kind of sick, demented, romantic thought possessed you… To fuck with my head. Or-or what ever you were doing, but I know both Chopper and I didn’t imagine your arm snapping like a twig.” Zoro grumbled and stood, just in case Sanji did decide to kick him again. “What the fuck did you do?” Sanji let out a breath of smoke, giving Zoro a hard stare.

 

The others were doing various projects while Zoro and Sanji were at the stern of the ship, shielded mostly by Nami's citrus trees. It would be easier for Sanji not to know about his secondary needs as a cambion. He couldn't see this conversation going well in any situation, but he wasn't the best liar. Not that the truth was any easier to explain either.

 

“It wasn't to fuck with your head,” Zoro said. “We were in a bad situation and we had only one shot to get Nami and Chopper back to the ship. It didn't mean anything.”

 

Probably not the best choice of words and clearly not the ones Sanji was expecting.

 

“Didn't _mean_ anything?” Sanji repeated harshly. His face was flushed and confusion was mixed with anger and something akin to hurt. “ _You kissed me_ and then you run off into the fight like some self sacrificial idiot. As if you...” Words got stuck in Sanji's throat and Zoro realized that Sanji had probably read far too much into the situation with a cliché notion of a terrible romance story. The kind where the hero expresses a hidden love through a final or surprise kiss before rushing into battle.

 

“As if what?” Zoro felt uncomfortable with a misunderstanding like that. “As if I loved you or something?” Sanji stood there, stiff and tight jawed. Well, this had been blown _way_ out of proportion; fuck. It wasn't as though he didn't like Sanji. He was a pain in the ass but he was his nakama and a strong, trust worthy man. He respected him -most of the time- and he was sexually appealing but it wasn't as dramatic as that. They certainly weren't intimate enough to be in love in Zoro's opinion. “ _No_ ,” he said firmly. “I'm a cambion.” Sanji was quiet a moment, slowly digesting what Zoro said.

 

“A what?” Sanji asked.

 

“A cambion. It means I'm half demon. My father is an incubus; which means I need sexual energy to survive. I needed to heal my arm so I took some of your energy.”

 

Sanji stared at him in silence so long that his cigarette burned to the nub and scorched his fingers. Sanji cursed and flicked it overboard. He lit up another cigarette and avoided looking at Zoro. Zoro let Sanji process everything. It was obviously not something Sanji had considered or even thought about in the realm of possibilities. Sanji smoked through one stick, looking over the back of the ship and started another before he spoke again, calmer.

 

“ _You're_ a sex demon.” Sanji didn't sound convinced.

 

“It's not like your damn perverted fantasies or books.” Zoro told him firmly. “There's nothing kinky about it. I just take the energy I need and no more.”

 

“You never _have_ sex,” Sanji accused.

 

“That's none of _your_ business.” Zoro wasn't even sure why Sanji paid attention to that sort of thing. Though it was true, he didn't often go for the physical attention. He was far more interested in training than casual pleasures of the flesh like Sanji was.

 

“You don't even enjoy Nami-swan when she's in a tank top.” Sanji stressed.

 

“I don't like women like that,” Zoro muttered through clenched teeth. Sanji looked at him like he was crazy.

 

“Then how can you be part incubus?” Sanji asked.

 

“Just because I'm a cambion doesn't mean I'm a pervert like you,” Zoro said firmly. “Incubi are dream jumpers. They don't have physical bodies. I just take energy from dreams. Usually it's enough, but because of the situation I needed to take some physically.”

 

“From me?” Sanji frowned. “Because I was the only available person?”

 

“ _Because_ you've got the highest sex drive on the entire ship, I was able to heal my broken arm.”

 

Sanji puffed on his cigarette, again processing what it all meant. Zoro was about to sit again what Sanji asked, “Wait, how often do you need energy?”  
  
“Daily, preferably.” Zoro's feeding schedule had been a bit skewed since Bazooka Island. Not only had Sanji been recovering for the first few days and then his dreams had been chaotic and distracted.

 

Sanji's frown deepened, considering all the time they had at sea. “So you take energy from everyone without saying anything?”

 

“It's not body energy,” Zoro explained grouchily. “It actually keeps everyone calm here.”

 

“Then you're taking energy from Robin and Nami? Or...” He paused, sounding too wistful for Zoro's comfort. “Or you can see into their dreams...”

 

Zoro rolled his eyes. He could see Sanji thinking his perverted thoughts. Sanji's lust rose up and the urge to pull Sanji close for a nibble of that energy tempted him. It had tasted so good the first time. He wanted another bite. Zoro gripped the railing of the ship, scowling. “Not if I can help it. They don't think about sex as much as you do.”

 

“So... where do you get your energy from?” It started as an innocent question, but then ended in a suspicious tone. Zoro didn't answer because it really should have been obvious. Sanji glared at him. “For that matter, how do you know I have the highest sex drive on the ship?” Another moment of silence was followed by a low kick, which Zoro blocked with his elbow. “You've been digging into my head, marimo?!”

 

“Just your dreams, shitty cook.” Zoro shoved Sanji's foot away. “I don't even take that much.”

 

Sanji's face was hot and angry. “So, what, you just sit there and watch what's happening?”

 

“Only if it's interesting,” Zoro said and smirked. Impishness crept in from a very fun time he'd had in Sanji's dream. “Like when you were bent over a table with a man named Jacques.” It had been a night Sanji had really ticked him off, so he'd tweaked the dream, where Sanji had been sampling food from an upscale restaurant, followed by being pressed face first into a white table cloth for _dessert_. It had been a very sexy scene that Zoro had almost felt guilty to enjoy. But from the look of things, Sanji had been enjoying it far more with the things he moaned.

 

Something in his voice must have given him away because Sanji's gaze hardened. “That was _you_.” Sanji's voice was filled with such venom and Zoro didn't deny it. “You-you _have_ been fucking with my head!” Sanji twisted around and started kicking him. Zoro parried the kicks with his swords. Sanji was royally pissed; not the normal annoyance that was there in fights because Zoro was having a time keeping up with the blows. “Do you have any idea how screwed up that is, you stinking demon?!”

 

“You liked it, it wasn't like you started having nightmares!” Zoro snapped, catching a shoe that came very close to giving him a black eye.

 

“That is private and I'm _not_ like that!” Sanji's face was red and he'd lost his cigarette somewhere in the tussle. They stopped when they were both breathing hard but Sanji was still vibrating with anger. “Fuck! It was you the whole time!”

 

“What?” Zoro decided to tease just a bit further. “Scared you might like it in the real world?” Sanji opened his mouth, looking like he was about to curse at him some more, but instead Zoro's feet were swept out from under him and the flat side of his sword was the only thing between Sanji's shoe and broken ribs. Zoro was flat on his back and Sanji glared down at him, a finger in his face.

 

“Stay out of my dreams, Zoro. You're not welcome,” he said in a deadly, even tone.

 

Zoro frowned. He'd been thriving on Sanji for his source of energy; not to mention it was the most satisfying. “Oi, normally I don't _do_ any-”

 

“I _mean_ it.” Sanji applied more pressure onto the sword so that the metal creaked. “If you have any sort of decency as my nakama, you'll listen to me.” Zoro shoved Sanji's foot off and they matched glares for several moments. Damn it. Why did Sanji have to phrase it like that? Sanji _was_ his nakama, but relying on the others’ dreams seemed stupid when Sanji was clearly the one to be feeding off of.

 

“Fine,” Zoro said begrudgingly as he stood and sheathed his swords. He hated this, but it wouldn't starve him immediately.

 

“If I find you fucking around in my dreams again, I'll kick your head in,” Sanji warned and stomped off.

 

Zoro sighed and resigned himself to scraps while the buffet was pissed at him.


	3. Cooks Feed The Hungry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro's hungry, Carrots explain everything, and Sanji can never let anyone go hungry.

Zoro did not allow himself to peek in on Sanji’s dreams. It wasn’t an easy process when he’d gotten used to the constant stream of sexual energy. Not after tasting it with his own tongue.

 

Their tiff didn’t go unnoticed. One of Robin’s ears had eavesdropped on the yelling and Usopp had been watching from the crows nest. Robin seemed to be the more understanding of the situation and didn’t mind Zoro siphoning off her sexual energy. On the other hand, Usopp had a moment where he used his holy relics to keep Zoro at bay; Zoro thought a knock to the sharpshooter’s head was a polite way to say he was still the same Zoro and that holy relics did not affect him. It got around the ship pretty fast so there was no use trying to keep it a secret. He explained it the best he could to the crew: what he was, what he needed, and what it meant. Nami didn’t seem very comfortable with it at first but eventually came to the conclusion that she didn’t mind if he’d been doing it anyway. It gave her more focus for other things, such as map making and accounting the ship’s funds. Luffy didn’t get it; no surprises there. The intricacies of dream jumping were beyond him so he dubbed Zoro with having mysterious dream powers. Chopper thought it was cool, especially as Zoro told him it was much like the fluffy clouds in Skypiea and reminded Chopper that his dreams were full of being a super-doctor.

 

The one that never commented on it further was Sanji. He went back to swooning over the ladies and being a crass asshole to him. Zoro was tempted to dip into Sanji’s dreams after a week, sure that Sanji would be over the anger; but considering he had made that damn promise and he was not a very good liar, he only wished that they would find the next damn island as soon as possible. At least there he could get his fill without draining his nakama until they got sick. It was kind that they allowed him to reap their dreams, knowing what he was, but even combined they couldn’t satisfy what he needed on a day to day basis. The hunger just grew steadily; a mental obsession rather than pain in the belly.

 

Being around Sanji on a small ship didn’t make it any easier. Sanji had recovered what Zoro had drained at Bazooka Island within days and the vibrancy was thicker than normal because Zoro wasn’t skimming from it. Zoro took to meditating near the bow of the ship or the crows nest; as far away from the galley as possible. He could only ‘ration’ everyone’s energy so much. They made back energy much slower than Sanji and it was never enough to satisfy him completely, leaving him restless and snappy. Especially at meal time, where the cook just radiated sexuality like a god damn furnace.

 

Funny enough, two weeks after the promise, he was awoken in the wee hours of the morning by being kicked out of his hammock before they reached an island.

 

“Oi!” Zoro glared up at Sanji, who equally looked livid. Zoro rubbed his head and got a mouth watering waft of lust from the blonde. “What the fuck was that for?” He stood and checked out the port hole, finding the sea was only lit by the moon and the sun had not even begun to touch the horizon. Luffy was still snoring and Chopper shifted a bit in his own hammock. Usopp was out in the crows nest on watch.

 

“I told you to stay out of my dreams, stupid marimo,” Sanji hissed dangerously.

 

“I _wasn’t_ in _your_ dreams.” Zoro matched Sanji’s dangerous tone. “I was in Robin’s.” Zoro caught the kick Sanji had aimed for his head. Predictably since Sanji didn’t like the fact that he got to be in the women’s dreams.

 

“Don’t _lie_ to me.” Sanji stepped back and dislodged his foot from Zoro’s grasp. Zoro wouldn’t have let go otherwise. It was hard to see much in the shadows of the sleeping quarters, but Zoro could clearly sense the energy rolling off of Sanji; he guessed from a very sexually heated dream. It was so potent that it lingered on his ruffled sleep shirt and pants. Zoro scratched under his lip with his thumb and wet his dry lips.

 

“I’m _not_ lying,” Zoro muttered. “If I’d been in _your_ dream I wouldn’t be so god damn hungry. I promised I wouldn’t, so I haven’t.” Sanji actually mellowed and didn’t come back with an argument. Zoro stepped close to him, able to see one curled brow in the limited light. “Why do you think I was in your dreams?” He couldn’t see Sanji’s full expression, even while so close in the dark, but an inkling came to mind when he felt a spike in lust. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Seeing me in your dreams, cook?”

 

He _did_ in fact get a kick in the face for that comment and he really should have known that kick was coming. He rubbed his face and Sanji scoffed, agitation in his voice now instead of a tempest’s fury as he lit up a fresh cigarette. “I wouldn’t dream of a green fuzz ball like you.” Sanji turned and started to ascend the ladder to the deck.

 

“Fuzz ball,” Zoro grumbled after him, eyes following the cook’s lower half out of the room. The injustice of it all just pissed Zoro off because if he was going to get accused for dream diving he might as well have been fed for it.

 

Sanji leaned down into the hole after a moment. “Oi, you coming or not?”

 

Zoro stood there, dumbfounded for a moment. “Eh?”

 

“Just get up here,” Sanji ordered.

 

Zoro reluctantly followed up the ladder and followed Sanji halfway across the deck. It was lit only by the waxing quarter moon on a cloudless night. Zoro just followed the scents of smoke and pent up lust attentively.

 

“What do you mean you’re hungry?” Sanji finally asked, halfway to the galley, Zoro realized. Which explained why Sanji didn’t say anything by Luffy. “You ate all of dinner.”

 

Zoro rolled his eyes and stopped following. “Not for actual food, stupid cook.” Sanji stopped as well, looking back at Zoro.

 

“What do you mean?” Sanji asked and Zoro rubbed a hand down his face. Was it really a hard thing to guess?

 

“You _know_ what I mean.” Zoro said.

 

Sanji frowned. “No, I _don’t_. You’re the one dream diving in Robin and Nami’s perfect dreams.” Zoro scoffed at that. “Why they allow you to is beyond me.”

 

“Moron,” Zoro muttered.  
  
“Well why don’t you _explain_ it to me, marimo,” Sanji said. “When you’re _hungry_ you’re supposed to tell the cook. There are other people on his ship. Not feeding on one person’s energy should change that.”  


Oh how wrong Sanji was.

 

They went to the galley and Sanji lit a lamp to illuminate the room. Tea was set to steep and Zoro sat on the bench at the table, mulling over the ways to explain the situation to the cook. The lust he’d tasted in the air was slowly dissipating with more time being spent awake. Since Zoro had not been skimming energy from the cook on a regular basis, there was still a line of sexual tension that could never fully be shook and Sanji looked ruffled and restless as Zoro felt. The tension called to Zoro, like a fountain to a parched man.  


“People have different types of energy,” Zoro started as the hot tea was poured into cups. “It all functions and builds differently. Usually it depends on what the person is focusing on.”

 

“And you feed on the sex energy,” Sanji concluded as he passed a cup to Zoro and one for himself. He also set a bowl of carrot chips to snack on that Zoro was sure was going into soup the next day if they weren’t eaten soon. Zoro took one and munched on it to distract himself from Sanji’s close proximity as the cook joined him on the bench.

 

“I can feed on the energy of the body, but it makes people sick. I don’t want to make anyone here sick,” Zoro said. “Chopper wouldn't appreciate that.”

 

Sanji also munched on the carrot slices between smoking. He was taking everything in better stride this time. “Okay, so you take energy and don’t bother anyone. How much do you need a night?”

 

“Energy isn’t something I can measure in calories.”

 

“Fine, explain what you’re not getting. I don’t know. Rate use if you must, but explain it, damn it.”

 

Zoro glanced at the bowl of carrots in the bowl and took out a handful, making Sanji frown. He placed 5 carrot slices on the surface of the table. “I need 5 carrots a night. More or less depending on my needs. On average, a fresh person I meet will have 5 carrots worth of energy.”

 

“There’s 6 of us. Well, 5 you can feed from,” Sanji said, not including himself.

 

“4,” Zoro corrected. “Luffy doesn’t count. He doesn’t have anything.”

 

Sanji looked bewildered and disbelieving. “What? But how…”

 

“ _I don’t know_ ,” Zoro grumbled. “I thought I was going to starve after I first joined his crew.” He put down 5 more carrot pieces as Sanji was desperately trying to figure out how Luffy had no sexual energy. And really, it was a mystery to Zoro as well.

 

“How is that even possible?” Sanji asked. “He’s human, right? I mean, he’s just as susceptible to biological urges as the rest of us. He’s _hungry_ all the damn time.” Sanji looked so confused. “Never?”

 

“Never,” Zoro confirmed and directed his attention back to the carrots. “Nami and Usopp are average so I guess they could be rated as fives.”

 

“That’s twice as much as you need.” Sanji frowned at him, attention back since they were talking about Nami to a degree.

 

“But lust replenishes depending on the person.” Zoro explained. “They only get one carrot back a day, if I’m lucky.” He swept away all but one of the slices back into his hand and spoke solemnly. “That’s all that’s on the ship right now. Except for you. It’s Usopp’s since he’s on watch tonight.” Sanji frowned, concern on his face for a moment before he waved his hand and blew out a plume of smoke.

 

“What about the others?” he asked.

 

Zoro laid it out on the table with the carrots. Luffy had zero and made just as much. Chopper had an average of 2 and made ½ a carrot a day. Robin had a 4 rating and made 1 back a day like Nami and Usopp.

 

“And what about me?” Sanji seemed to have trouble asking but he did after studying the information. Zoro swept up the rest of the carrots back into the handful he had and plopped them into a pile before the cook, who sat next to him on the bench. There may have been 15 to 20 slices there and Sanji gave him a look of disbelief. “No way.”

 

“I can _smell_ you from here, cook.” Zoro took a few of the slices from the pile and popped them into his mouth for emphasis. “What ever I take from you, you always make it back just as quick.”

 

“You make it sound like I’m some sort of sex crazed maniac,” Sanji said angrily. “I’m a gentleman of love. A white knight to beautiful women everywhere.”

 

“ _Whatever_ it is,” Zoro stressed, annoyed by it, “it’s connected to your libido. It’s been my main source of subsidence since you joined the crew.” Zoro scoffed, agitated. “It’s like setting a plate of your food in front of me and telling me I can’t eat it.” It was cruel and Zoro didn’t know how many more days he could go without giving into his hunger and sapping Sanji’s dreams.

 

Sanji frowned at ate several carrot slices from the table before putting the rest back into the bowl. “What happens if you don’t get enough?”

 

Zoro had gone without anything before while traveling on his own; food, water, and energy. He’d rather go without food than energy. At the marine base Luffy had found him at, he’d still been able to sleep and feed on the energy of the surrounding homes and marines. But alone with days of being lost in the wilderness, he’d experienced some unpleasant side effects. “I lose focus. I start to lose myself and control.” Zoro hated losing control of his own body. He trained his body to obey his will. Honed it to be stronger and faster, not dissolve into a mindless beast that only fed for the sensation of fullness. Zoro didn’t fear much, but he did fear losing himself to that. “I become more demon than human.” Literally, as the case was.

 

“… Is that why your face looks weird?” Sanji asked.

 

“My-” Zoro frowned, “Shut up, curly brow.”

 

“You shut up. It’s a legitimate question, ” Sanji snapped and pointed to Zoro’s mouth. “You teeth just look sharper than normal. I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it or not.”

 

Zoro ran his thumb over his upper row of teeth, finding his front and canines were sharper than he remembered a few days ago. One would think his tongue would have found the difference before the cook but he’d been thinking too much on other matters rather than the sharpness of his teeth. No wonder eating meat had been easier than normal. “Shit.” He checked the shell of his ear and felt the small ridges that if given time would become wider for better hearing and would take on a strange bat wing shape. It was nothing obvious yet, but to him, he knew what they’d become.

 

“Is that a bad sign?” Sanji asked with concern.

 

“It’s just… I’m hungrier than I thought.” Sitting next to Sanji didn’t exactly curb the hunger so the extra appendages could be growing as they spoke. He shoved down the urge to _take_ what he needed. He was in control, damn it. Zoro shook his head and frowned as he noticed the more than casual concern on Sanji’s face. “When we get to the next island, I can get my fill.”

 

“You mean, if we find one that’s inhabited by people,” Sanji said. After all, what if they came across another island only full of dinosaurs like Little Garden?

 

“Well if _someone_ would just let me feed, then we wouldn’t have this problem.” Zoro cast a glare at Sanji.

 

“Shut up. It’s your fault for screwing with my dreams.” Sanji sent him a glare right back.

 

“I didn’t mess with your dream last night so don’t blame anything on me,” Zoro said firmly. Sanji smoked furiously on his cigarette, looking stubbornly at the wall. His face warmed to a blush and his lust spiked for a painful moment. It wasn’t exactly hard to guess what Sanji had dreamed on his own. Something extremely uncomfortable and arousing; more so than when Zoro had messed with his dreams himself. He wanted details but he could tell Sanji would never tell them to him. “Look, just because you dream about sex with man doesn’t mean you’re gay.” Sanji eyed him with suspicion.

 

“Good, cause I’m not!” He snapped.

 

“I believe you,” Zoro assured him, and he meant it. The sky was blue, the Grand Line was dangerous, and Sanji had an affection for women that Zoro honestly didn’t believe could be carried over to the other sex. This didn’t calm Sanji down however.

 

“How can you _say_ that so calmly,” Sanji asked, as though doubting it himself more than Zoro did. “You’ve… _seen_ my dreams.”

 

He had. He’d seen Sanji’s dreams with women and men. He’d seen countless dreams run though hundreds or thousands of people’s heads. He’d seen weirder from more normal looking people. He’d seen more disgusting dreams than he’d wanted to from the most innocent women and some of the most boring from ruthless men. Nightmares could be full of unwanted sexual energy and there could be scenes that made _his_ stomach churn. But they were _dreams_.

 

“It doesn’t _mean_ anything,” Zoro said firmly. “Dreams aren’t fact. They’re screwed up in the best of dreams. I can’t read your mind through your dreams, cook. They’re for you to interpret and it’s your choice to engage in that sort of activity. And it’s not like I sit in your head all night. Most of the time I just take what I need and leave you to your fantasy world.” The less he spent in other peoples’ dreams the better for his own sanity. “You dream far too much about women for my tastes.” Sanji watched him a moment as he snuffed out the butt in an ash tray and spun the next one between his fingers.

 

“You… really haven’t been in my dreams lately?” He finally asked.

 

“No, I haven’t.” Zoro frowned. He wondered what put the cook on edge so much as of late. Sanji took a long drag on his new cigarette and blew it out the corner of his mouth.

 

“I can’t let you get hungry in good conscience, but I don’t want you in my head,” Sanji said firmly.

 

“Well we’re both shit out of luck because that’s how I feed,” Zoro said grumpily.

 

“What about when you…” Sanji gestured with a hand, “back on Bazooka Island?” Zoro blinked, remembering Sanji’s tight, surprised mouth against his.

 

“That was an emergency situation,” Zoro said.

 

“So you can take it from dreams or physically.” Sanji was taking his time with his words carefully. Zoro decided to do the same because he assumed since he wasn’t allowed in Sanji’s dreams, Sanji wouldn’t be up for the other option. Though it could have been Sanji’s perverse sense of curiosity again, he supposed.

 

“I normally don’t take energy that way. Too complicated,” Zoro said.

 

“Then explain it.”

 

There wasn’t too much to explain. The dream world he could slip in and out often without anyone being the wiser. Physical touch involved a lot more thinking and assumptions on the other person’s part. Like Sanji reading too much into the ‘kiss’ at Bazooka Island. It wasn’t even a _good_ kiss, damn it.

 

“It makes things complicated, usually,” Zoro clarified. He raised a brow at Sanji. “I need intimate contact physically. Mouth to mouth. And there needs to be lust present.”

 

“That explains the mention of Nami in her amazing bikini,” Sanji said, ending in a wistful tone.

 

“It isn’t exactly hard to bring out your lust.” Zoro sensed Sanji’s lust spike, followed by the quick mellow back by annoyance from the jab; that took the edge off the hunger pain in his head. It was starting to become something like a pressure headache and Sanji’s frequent lust spikes were just making it worse.

 

“So, what about sex?” Sanji asked after several moments, with a neutral face but with the conversation turned to sex of course Sanji’s energy was going to spike like a damn jumping bean.

 

“What about it?” Zoro asked. He knew what Sanji was asking but really, at some point he got tired of playing 20 questions.

 

“I mean sex and feeding.” Sanji’s face grew a few shades redder. “I mean, you _do_ , don’t you?”

 

“Nope.” Zoro finally drank from the cup Sanji had set before him.

 

“What do you mean ‘nope’?” Sanji looked confused. “Isn’t that what incubi do? Or cambion, what ever you are.”

 

“I don’t feed in the middle of sex,” Zoro said, amused by Sanji’s red cheeks and confused expression. “It’s already being spent in the moment and it would kill the mood in an instant. If I’m going to have sex, then it’s sex.” He didn’t feed when in the thrall of lust itself but in a way it was more filling and satisfying when he helped someone to energy that could satisfy him for days on end. The feel of it through someone’s skin or even being joined with someone at the cusp of completion was an absolute delicacy. He leaned against his hand and locked eyes with Sanji. “Orgasms taste better than anything.” He felt the sharp lust spike as Sanji’s eyes widened slightly and Zoro smirked. “Do you want to have sex, cook?”

 

“What? _No_ ,” Sanji said quickly, though his lust didn’t dissipate, even when he looked away and puffed on his cigarette like a train engine. Zoro just smirked and finished off the carrots and tea. His belly was more than full, but the mental hunger stirred more as they continued to talk. “If.” Sanji tapped a long line of ash into the tray. “If we just kiss, then you get fed and I don’t have to worry about these damn frustrations.”

 

“Frustrations, cook?” Zoro asked teasingly.

 

“Shut your trap, marimo.” Sanji blew smoke into his face and Zoro coughed, waving the smoke from his face. “After Bazooka Island, I didn’t have any dreams about sex. It wasn’t on my mind and I wasn’t consumed by thoughts of…” He stopped and waved his hand, dropping that line of thought. “I’ve been thinking about it too much. So if you’d just turn down the heat before the pot boiled over, it would… help.”

 

“I can do that in dreams,” Zoro offered. There was no need to kiss if Sanji was truly trying to preserve his heterosexuality.

 

“And you don’t seem to get that I don’t want you in my dreams,” Sanji said and straightened in his seat, putting out the butt of the cigarette. They matched stares for a good long moment before Zoro leaned on the table and then more into Sanji’s personal space. Well, he’d tried to respect Sanji’s claim to heterosexuality, but if he was so determined for another kiss, Zoro wasn’t going to turn it down.

 

“Sure you can handle it, love-cook?” Zoro asked. He was pretty sure nerves were making Sanji fidget and tampered the spikes of lust, but he rose to the challenge, leaning in.

 

“I can handle a kiss, marimo.” Sanji said confidently.

 

Zoro leaned in the rest of the way, feeling the heat of Sanji’s skin and nearly brushed his lips, but pulled back at the last second. “Think of the girls, or something.”

 

“Eh?” Sanji sounded confused.

 

“You’re not particularly lustful at the moment,” Zoro said. Sanji had to relax and enjoy this, not look like he had to just drudge through it. Zoro didn’t have the element of surprise like he had on Bazooka Island.

 

“Shut up,” Sanji told him and his hands gripped Zoro’s face and their lips were mashed together jarringly.

 

On Bazooka Island, Sanji had a clear pool of lust as he had what ever thoughts of Nami in his head, but there in the galley it was annoyingly difficult to find. Mixes of emotion and nerves deluded any way to the energy he needed. Zoro’s hand found Sanji’s neck and he closed his eyes to better focus and find his way through the proverbial maze. He didn’t return Sanji’s harsh mouth crush like he was aggressively tempted to. He was too hungry. Instead he ran his thumb up Sanji’s throat and jaw, sucking gentle kisses from the lips against his. Sanji shifted and relaxed his tight lips after a few moments, as though relenting that he couldn’t just put up with it until Zoro was done. Zoro’s hunger drove the kiss forward but Sanji’s taste made him slow because he didn’t get to enjoy it the first time. Sanji’s taste was bitter with tobacco smoke and carrots but warm and mingled with that alluring energy he’d had weeks ago. It was only hinted at first but he drank the fragments down, hunger intervening with exploration. Sanji’s fingers buried in his hair and his body slowly relaxed, allowing more lust to trickle from the deep well within him.

 

Pressing his tongue passed Sanji’s lips seemed to turn that trickle into a stream and a small noise Zoro hadn’t heard before except in dreams resounded in Sanji’s throat. Lust rolled over Zoro’s tongue as Sanji moved himself closer and breathing increased between them. The lust was a fountain, flowing easily then; rich and bold like the cook himself. He lifted Sanji into his lap by his hip and thigh. Sanji moved as though to rebuff the movement and pull back but Zoro kept him in place with a hand in his hair and a tight arm around his thigh to keep him against him. His hunger overrode any care about Sanji’s comfort level. He just kissed him deeper and tolerated the painful grip in his hair but Sanji fell back into the kiss with renewed fervor, determined to match Zoro.

 

Zoro siphoned the energy, past the normal amount he usually skimmed from dreams. There was no physical belly for Zoro to fill and they weren’t in the heat of battle, so he took Sanji down to the cusp where sexual met physical energy. His hunger was more than sedated but the kiss itself thrived to continue. He broke it off suddenly with Sanji’s mouth or he really would keep consuming. They were both breathing hard and Sanji looked disheveled and startled from the sudden halt.

 

“What?” Sanji asked. His skin was flushed and his lips were swollen and tender. He looked ravishing and Zoro ached to continue, but not for feeding.

 

“No more lust left,” Zoro said in a heavy voice. “Unless, you want me to keep going-” Sanji shoved his hand against Zoro’s face and pulled out of his lap, face still a deep and attractive red color.

 

“Don’t over eat, shit head.” Sanji stood and dug out a new cigarette. He got out a match and muttered to himself as he lit up, “Algae has an unpleasant aftertaste.” Zoro grumbled about the sudden freak out and ran his thumb across his teeth. They were starting to smooth into normal human ones already and the pang of hunger was long gone from his mind. In fact, he was brimming with excess. The buzz of it left tingling on his skin that he’d missed from Bazooka Island. He would have to train it off before he thought of getting any more sleep that night.

 

Sanji stood very still in one spot for one moment, quietly smoking and looking like he’d forgotten or lost something.

 

“What’s with the sour face?” Zoro asked mildly.

 

“Eh? Nothing.” Sanji blew a plume of smoke, brow still furrowed. “I… it feels strange.” Zoro wasn’t surprised. He had after all, taken all of that delicious energy. He guessed it would feel strange to go from painfully frustrated to post sex mellow without the thrill of an orgasm in between. People tended to become completely disinterested in sex after he drained it all. It was normal, but people were used to a heated make out session to rev them up, not ground them.

 

“I guess it would be weird for a pervert to lose all interest in sex,” Zoro said. Though he wished they had continued, his hunger _had_ been the most important thing to satisfy.

 

“Shut up.” Sanji threw the spent match at him, but it was only half-hearted anger as Sanji still looked dazed from it. Zoro stood and stretched. His limbs buzzed for a good workout before attempting doing anything else. “Oi,” Sanji said before Zoro could open the galley door. “You took all of it?”

 

“Yeah.” Zoro nodded. “I’m going to tell Usopp to go to bed. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping the rest of the night.” When Sanji still gave him a weird look, he added. “Not even a huge letch like you can regenerate any more energy for at least a few hours. Go back to sleep for a while.” Sanji made a non-committal noise and Zoro let the door shut behind him.

 

Zoro found a drowsy eyed sharpshooter and got him to go to bed. He retrieved his weights and started working off his excess energy. The lights in the galley stayed on for longer than expected. He wasn’t sure why Sanji had asked if he’d taken it all. Perhaps it was because Sanji was unfamiliar with the feeling, or maybe he was coping with kissing him still. As far as he could tell, Sanji had enjoyed it. Zoro wouldn’t be against Sanji feeding him that way. Kissing the cook had many more benefits to him than dream feeding. Not to mention it was far more enjoyable.


	4. Marimo On The Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tormoil that Sanji is going through.

The past month had been nothing but a chaotic whirlwind for Sanji and it had all started on Bazooka Island where Zoro had kissed him. Well, maybe it hadn’t started directly then, but that was the center point of his confusion. After all, what does it mean when a marimo kisses someone and then runs off into battle without another word? What was he supposed to assume besides the fact that Zoro had finally lost what little brain he had left or there had been something hidden in a more emotional way than he’d ever thought Zoro was capable of. He’d never experienced a kiss like it up until that point. It had felt like the wind had been knocked out of him and it left his head buzzing with a strange fluttering sensation in his belly. And yet, it robbed his mind of any pleasurable thoughts such as Nami in her bikini and even the next day he found he wasn’t enjoying the usual presence of the ladies.

 

Not that he still didn’t adore both Nami and Robin. He absolutely still cared about them but there was something desperately wrong because while he loved them both very deeply, for 3 straight days there were absolutely no sexual appeal to anything. It was as though their love was completely platonic.

 

It scared the shit out of him.

 

Confusing him further was a nagging thought that with one kiss, Zoro had turned him completely gay. Because he’d had dreams. He remembered several of them. Sexually vivid dreams with men that competed with his lovely lady dreams. They were dreams he was embarrassed about enjoying. He convinced himself after each dream that it was just that, a dream. A far away fantasy, no, no- a far away _nightmare_ that plagued him and made him question several things. Especially when he was dealing with Zoro.

 

Before the Bazooka kiss -it sounded stupid in Sanji’s head but it was how he kept remembering it; because it had basically blown his world apart- he’d already had many startling thoughts. For example, he wondered if Zoro’s hair really felt like a ball of moss. Passing thoughts of attraction flared up when Zoro trained shirtless. And sometimes, while they were fighting, he hated himself for thinking that maybe a kiss would shut the asshole up for at least 2 seconds of shock value and it may have been worth it. But Sanji firmly said _no_. He was not like that. He was a lover of ladies. Charmer of women. Knight in shining armor to any damsel whether in distress or not. Humble servant to their every need.

 

Luckily his body seemed to remember that women were lovely and beautiful things after three days of an absent void and he could fully appreciate how sexy they were. Smooth, soft, beautiful women. He was so relieved at least one thing that had worked out alright. Perhaps it had been healing and not a marimo’s kiss that had turned his libido completely off for 3 days. After that, there were still several other problems. Such as, _Zoro kissed him_ and then seemed to be avoiding him. Sanji himself felt tongue tied and couldn’t even seem to remember how to fight with Zoro for several days. Though during his terrifying absence of lust, he also had not been dreaming of men in the women’s place.

 

After those three days was a completely different matter because his libido seemed to remember then that Zoro was also attractive in some messed up, masculine sort of way. It seemed fresher and more brought to the surface than before. For three days he just worried about not being attracted to women, but he also had not been turned on by Zoro working out against doctor’s orders. He’d mostly been consumed in those lustless days by the fear of what the Bazooka kiss had _meant_.

 

Sanji feared that Zoro was in love with him and the thought terrified him more than the platonic love scare with the girls. Not that Sanji could _blame_ Zoro if he’d fallen for the suave gentleman that he was, but nothing could come of it because Zoro was a man. A crazy, self-centered, rude, and hopelessly lost marimo-man. And Sanji refused to believe that he could do anything with a man. He loved women, not men; end of story.

 

So Sanji resigned himself to the fact that he was going to have to let Zoro down gently. After all, he was dealing with affairs of the heart and he could respect someone’s heart. But… he couldn’t imagine talking to Zoro about something so intimate so openly. So his plan was to let Zoro tell him how he felt and then tell him it _could never be. They were from two different worlds and too different to over come what was between them. They could be nothing more than nakama. Any passing fantasy just wouldn’t work out on a tiny ship…_ well, Sanji just felt embarrassed when he thought about it too much because it got more dramatic and it was a completely preposterous situation in the first place. But he had to do it. He couldn’t allow Zoro to bottle those sorts of feelings up.

 

But… his mind betrayed him and he found himself wondering what it would be like to be loved by a marimo. He couldn’t imagine receiving flowers or gifts. No romantic dinners that were suit and tie required. Above all, he could not imagine Zoro getting down on one knee to propose. No, but smaller questions came to mind; like, what would Zoro’s arm feel like around his waist? Was Zoro any good at cuddling? Would Zoro be the type to give affectionate kisses while he was cooking? Would he be opposed to a bit of PDA or would he be more of a private lover? Those were the thoughts that often conflicted his argument that it would never work. Especially the most profound question, which was, would Zoro ever kiss him that way again?

 

And that was all before his lust had returned to him. Sanji was so nerve wracked it took him a week to breach the subject with a kick to Zoro’s side.

 

He had not been expecting what Zoro told him. Any of it. Zoro was a cambion. He fed on lust in dreams. Sanji had been his main food source. He’d messed with Sanji’s dreams. Zoro was not in love with him.

 

It was a lot to take in for one afternoon and he was not relieved when Zoro wasn’t in love with him. In fact, it hurt more than he was expecting it to. Not only that, but Zoro seemed to only regard him as an energy source and the only reason he’d had sexual dreams with men was because Zoro had messed with his dreams.

 

Infuriating marimo-demon. Sanji hated him. He was so pissed off he couldn’t see straight. It hurt so much more than he was expecting. It was so messed up because Zoro was supposed to be the one nursing a wounded heart; not him. He should have been overjoyed that it was not the case. It made everything simpler. They were simply nakama. And yet… thinking that just left a hollow pit in his chest. He felt… used more than anything, not to mention embarrassed that he’d ever thought Zoro could sustain those sort of human feelings for anyone. Zoro took energy from him in the night in his dreams and never consulted him about it. His dreams were private and he didn’t like anyone mucking around with them.

 

Sanji shoved the situation away and ignored Zoro. He got back to more important things, such as Nami, Robin, and cooking. He expected Zoro to respected his wishes. The others were surprisingly accepting of Zoro’s new found needs and consented to their energy being taken. He didn’t understand why they were okay with it, but it meant Zoro had others to take from so it wasn’t as though he wasn’t getting it from somewhere. As long as Zoro stayed away from his head, everything would be fine.

 

Zoro didn’t seem to break his promise in any obvious way. Sanji’s dreams were mostly forgotten so he couldn’t remember if they were homo-erotic, hetero-erotic, or about being trapped with nothing to eat. However, he did feel something was unusual. He felt antsy, restless, and more sensitive to the amount of skin that the girls were showing. Nami’s smooth creamy perfection. Robin’s olive complexion that tanned so nicely while reading. But also Zoro when he was shirtless and sweaty with his sun kissed muscles… all of this sent waves of heat to his groin and he found a level of frustration he wasn’t used to. Yes, he took care of it solitary and as discreetly as he could on the tiny ship but it didn’t cure the craving to touch and be touched. He would have loved to court both women but they did not return those types of affections for him, so he respected their choices; as sad as it made him.

 

Zoro was…

 

No, Sanji told himself firmly. Zoro was not an option. He hoped they found a new island soon. Hopefully one that was human inhabited.

 

A mere 2 weeks of frustration later, Sanji had one of the most vivid dreams that he’d ever experienced. Not to mention the most passionate. In the dream was a beach with crystal blue waters, white sand coast line, and a sun set lit sky that was colored from cool crisp indigo to warm orange at the horizon. He laid on his belly in the sand, warm and comfortable as a lover was draped over his back. His neck was slowly covered with affectionate kisses that made Sanji smile and his fingers were tangled with a thick and powerful hand. He knew instinctively in the dream that the lover was masculine by the solid body that moved against his and a low, overpowering voice that made his skin tingle. Sanji just moved with it; one didn’t question the dream logic. He just knew it felt good, not just physically but emotionally as well. Loving and then making love on the sand. Sanji swore he could feel it inside him and he would have been mortified if anyone but his lover heard him moaning like that. Moaning without abandon, “Zoro!”

 

Sanji woke up with a sharp intake of breath to the creaking of the ship. His heart was hammering in his ribs and his body was vibrating from the images in his head. He’d dreamed and remembered scenes with men before, but it had never been like that. It had _never_ been Zoro before. Sanji pulled himself out of his hammock through the quickly dissipating haze of sleep. Clearing it faster was anger that consumed him. It _had_ to be Zoro screwing with him. It had been Zoro every other time, hadn’t it? He ignored any he’d ever had on the Baratie in that count, just because he was so pumped up and he had no other way to vent properly. If it was Zoro, then not only did he break his promise, but he was also a cruel, evil individual who had no respect for his emotions. He kicked the swordsman out of his hammock and was ready to make good on his threat to kick his head in.

 

But then they had their long conversation in the galley about energy and carrots. He learned how much Zoro needed the sexual energy and Sanji gave into the damn temptation for a kiss. A kiss that again took his breath away and replaced the roaring fire with butterflies in his stomach and a want for both more and mellow solitude. It was such an odd feeling. A paradox of wanting more but not having the drive to continue.

 

Zoro left him, saying that he’d taken all of his lust and he couldn’t make more for hours. But then why did he really want Zoro to continue touching and kissing him? Hold their bodies together. He still wanted to know what it was like to have Zoro’s arm around him. Not for sex but…

 

Love. Affection. Physical attention.

 

Sanji was in the galley for several hours with his horrifying realization and his skin prickled with goose bumps. Zoro had told him only two weeks ago that he did not love him. Sanji sat there for a long moment, sort of numb to the facts that clicked neatly into place. It wasn’t until he thought back to the dream did he start to mourn it and tears stung his eyes. Not really for the loss of it but a bitter acceptance that it would never happen.


	5. Back on Track

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a short interlude, but I also have to say that I'm going to finish writing this story before I post more chapters because events are getting more complicated from those original intentions. I've appreciated all of your lovely comments so far and hope to be done with it soon. Thank you for your patience.

There were benefits to Sanji being less lustful. The passing two days were still filled with pampering the girls, but Sanji definitely had a lack of response to Nami wearing a tank top. Not that Sanji didn’t comment on both women being beautiful or cute.

 

Usopp questioned if Sanji was sick with some sort of contagious disease but Zoro assured him that Sanji would be back to his more annoying, drooling self over women soon enough. He could already sense the stirring libido making energy as each thing caught Sanji’s attention. It had not yet crested past modest interest so it did come off a bit more as polite and respectable gestures of affection and may have seemed odd when it was not joined with the added lustful passion.

 

For Zoro, it was a relief to his ears and eyes. There were less flirty hearts towards the girls and no embarrassing perverted faces. Zoro didn’t even need to feed for those two days since he’d cached on Sanji’s lust. When he had given Sanji that pile of carrots he had not been exaggerating the deep well of energy that Sanji could store. He was able to let all of his nakama rest from his constant drain and everyone seemed happier for it in their own ways.

 

Though on the third day, Sanji was back to his pirouetting service for the women and the faint wafts of lust rolled off of Sanji like a natural cologne. He wondered for maybe a moment how someone could recover so fast but never dwelled on it for long. A normal person could take a week to even think about sex after a incubus feeding but Sanji had done it in three, and in excess. Just sensing it piqued Zoro’s interest.

 

Zoro wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth but he’d definitely be willing to harass a cook for another kiss later in the night.


	6. Feeding Schedule

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My god, this thing has already grown to over 57k and I'm not completely done. But it IS mostly done. Just a few more playful scenes. I can not even begin to tell you guys how much fun this story has been. It happens to include most of my favorite tropes and kinks. 
> 
> Please be mindful that tags have changed and have been added. The dubcon is mild but it still ended up being dubcon. Rating was also bumped up from Mature to Explicit. I hope you enjoy what unfolds.

Sanji turned his focus on the ladies; the ones he could freely dote on without criticism. Self-criticism, more specifically. Zoro nor Usopp understood the women needed his services to keep them healthy and make sure they knew they were appreciated for the lovely ladies that they were. The platonic state of mind was still a nerve wracking place to be in, but at least the second time around Sanji knew his normal interests would return in time. At least he wasn't also affected by Zoro's robust work out schedule either. He contemplated telling Zoro not to take every bit of his energy the next time, but that reminded him that there _would be_ a next kiss and it made all those warm fuzzy feelings return. He always shoved away those thoughts as soon as he realized they were sneaking up on him.

 

Zoro had said that dreams were his to interpret but Sanji wasn't sure how else to take a dream of them being passionate lovers or the foreboding ache that followed. He didn't want to accept that there was more of an emotional attachment to Zoro than necessary. He never wanted to admit that there was some spark there that out ranked Nami or Robin for his affections. He certainly didn't think _Zoro_ was capable of that sort of emotion in real life; if he was, then Sanji was absolutely sure that he'd be the last person to witness it.

 

Sanji hated feeling depressed every time he thought about it. So he put himself to work. Cooking was a safe activity because he could focus all his attention on what he loved doing. But even he couldn't fill his whole day in the galley. When he could he tried to assist Nami or Robin with anything they could need done -any chores or menial projects-, but they would only allow him to do so much for them. They were such strong, self-sufficient women and he just adored them for it, but it didn't help him avoid the awaiting subject in his head that popped up when ever there was a quiet moment.

 

Zoro gave him plenty of space but that didn't make anything easier. Even when Zoro didn't bother him for two days. Actually, it stressed Sanji to no end because he wondered if Zoro had gone back to eating dreams or what ever he did. After all, it was just another food source for Zoro. Sanji had so many little, stupid questions running through his head that he could never bring himself to ask. Such as, hadn't it been a good kiss? Had Zoro hated it? Was that why Zoro wasn't bothering him? Zoro had said his lust eating should be everyday, so had there been something wrong with it?

 

“Fuck...” Sanji muttered, having lost count of his inventory by the wanderings of his mind. He scratched out his miss-count on the notepad he had and started again, putting the correct amount of carrots and when he should use them by so he could plan what meals they'd go towards. Damn carrots.

 

“Oi, cook.”

 

Sanji nearly flung his note pad at the pantry door when he heard that low tone. Instead he gripped it tight and threw an annoyed look at Zoro, who raised a condescending brow back at him. They'd barely talked for three days besides the meaningless chatter at meal times. Sanji wanted to kick that look off Zoro's face still so he was relieved that he wasn't completely immobilized by the discovery of... that deeper feeling. Sanji wasn't sure if his pride could take it.

 

Sanji felt it was completely justifiable that he blame all of this mess on Zoro and properly be angry at him for his misery. That was something he could deal with.

 

“What, marimo?” Sanji forced his attention back to the items on the next shelf.

 

“I'm hungry,” Zoro said.

 

“You just ate an hour ago.” Sanji vividly remembered Zoro eating breakfast quickly; before Luffy could attempt to steal it.

 

“Not for food.” Zoro folded his arms and leaned against the door frame to the enclosed room. Sanji got a fleeting feeling of claustrophobia, perhaps one that could be equated with a cat cornering a rat.

 

“I thought you'd gone back to eating in dreams.” Sanji's voice came out sharper than intended. “I thought you had to eat every day.”

 

“I don't have to eat everyday when I've eaten too much. You were overloaded and taking _everything_ satisfied me for days.” Zoro gave a little shrug that both pissed Sanji off for his aloofness and brought him peace of mind that the kiss was good enough for the damn demon.

 

“I told you not to over eat,” Sanji chastised. He still held the pad and paper but had completely forgotten about taking inventory.

 

“I was starving.” Zoro left the door frame and stood closer to Sanji. He could feel Zoro's body heat on his skin, making goose flesh spread from the back of his neck to his arms. “And you said you didn't want to deal with the frustrations.”

 

“Well I don't like being completely drained either,” Sanji said firmly. At least with moderate interest he could concentrate on things besides his unrequited... feelings for Zoro. “How am I supposed to enjoy my time with Robin and Nami with half my interest gone.”

 

“You're much less annoying when you're drained,” Zoro said and Sanji elbowed him in the side, giving him a glare. He was having a hard time dealing with Zoro's closeness. The cocky smirk Zoro had on his face had wasn't helping. He hated Zoro for looking so attractive with it.

 

“I'm letting you take my energy so I get a say in how much.” Sanji turned towards Zoro and placed the paper pad on one of the pantry shelves. It wasn't like he could concentrate with Zoro breathing down his neck. Zoro harrumphed and Sanji prodded his hard muscular chest with a finger. He was not going to be at the whim of his emotions that he didn't even want and Zoro certainly wasn't going to be sneaking in to call the shots. “Further more you can't just come into the galley when ever you want for this. You'll start giving Luffy the idea I'm giving you more food and this is supposed to be subtle.” Zoro gave an annoyed grunt which gave Sanji a level of satisfaction.

 

“Every other day too much for you then?” Zoro asked

 

Sanji faltered because he almost answered with, 'why not every day?' because that sounded far too enthusiastic for this exchange. “I could survive.” Less was supposed to be better, he reminded himself. “After dinner would be a fine time; you can help with the dishes in exchange.”

 

“Dish duty every other day?” Zoro asked, nose wrinkling.

 

“You're taking my energy so there'd better be something in it for me.”

 

Zoro huffed and thought for a moment. “What about after fights?”

 

“What about them?”

 

“I use more energy healing and during fights, so do I get more energy that I'll need then?”

 

Sanji let out a slow huff and he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. This conversation was way more stressful than he was ready for this early in the day. He placed it between his lips and his hand went searching for his lighter in his pants. “Yeah, fine, for healing. But don't you dare pull another Bazooka kiss on me unless it's an emergency.” He wasn't sure if he could handle that again. He wasn't sure how he would react, especially if there were enemies around.

 

“Bazooka kiss.” Zoro looked amused.

 

“Shut up. You know what I mean.” Sanji felt his own neck and cheeks flush as he lit up his cigarette. “That stupid... heart attack you gave me when I thought you lost all your marbles.” He took several grateful breaths of his cigarette, biting the end a bit harder than he meant to.

 

“Fine. Can I kiss you now?” Zoro asked.

 

A certain part of Sanji said _yes_ immediately but two other points reared up stronger; his pride and his dignity. He certainly wasn't mentally prepared at the moment for another kiss and if he didn't allow Luffy more food between meals than Zoro was not going to be the exception. “Have we had dinner yet?” Zoro blinked and Sanji insisted. “ _Have_ we had _dinner_ yet?”

 

“No,” Zoro grumbled.

 

“No, we have not. _Lunch_ will be within the hour.” Sanji waved towards the door. “You waited 3 days so you can wait a few more hours. You're not getting out of dish duty.” Zoro scoffed and rolled his eyes.

 

“Stingy,” Zoro muttered, pulling a leaf out of Luffy's book, but he turned and exited the pantry. Sanji folded his arms, momentarily proud for not giving in, but then there was a lingering cloudy thought that he did NOT get a kiss, which left him more hollow than he wanted to admit. Then he had to dwell on the fact that Zoro was going to kiss him that night. Sanji turned and leaned his head on one of the shelves and felt like a dumb ass.

 

“This is so messed up,” he said, caught between wanting a damn kiss and dreading it.

 

-

 

Lunch and dinner didn’t last long and Sanji ignored the lingering looks Zoro sent him over each meal. He knew it was because the damn demon was hungry and perhaps Sanji felt a stab of guilt for making him wait, but he’d had many months of practice rebutting Luffy’s hungry face; so he managed. Though, there was that other side of Sanji, the one that reveled in the fact that Zoro was paying him attention and god damn it if he didn’t want to _preen_ under the gaze. Even Sanji’s pride did not deny that he liked the marimo’s attention. He hated being ignored so not needing to fight to get Zoro’s gaze made him feel important. Maybe even a bit wanted.

 

Zoro had been excruciatingly absent the previous 2 weeks, when Sanji refused him his dream energy. He had successfully put as much space between them as possible. When Sanji was in the galley, Zoro was at the bow. When Sanji was at the bow, Zoro moved to the stern. If Sanji was at the stern, Zoro moved to the crows nest. It was really quite frustrating. To have Zoro back within arms length gave him a large sense of relief that he wasn’t sure he was holding out for; until he realized the feelings that made him so frustrated.

 

“Dishes first,” Sanji commanded once he’d relieved Chopper of dish duty for the night and he and Zoro had the galley to themselves.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Zoro grumbled and started in on the fresh dishes. One good thing about having a captain like Luffy, there was never a crumb on any plate as they went to the sink and nary a leftover to put away. Sanji lit a fresh cigarette and dried each plate Zoro handed him, or handed it back to do it right, which annoyed Zoro to no end.

 

Sanji enjoyed the mellow, quiet rhythm they took up. They could have their peaceful times so he didn’t know why Zoro had to go and piss him off all the time. Well… not that Sanji didn’t initiate some of the time. Okay, most of the time maybe. Too much quiet felt so off to him and Zoro was entertaining when he could get under the composed swordsman’s skin. Sanji got a large dose of thrill along with the normal annoyance when ever they got into a fight. He liked Zoro riled up; when Sanji had his full attention on him.

 

As they edged on the remaining pots and pans, Sanji grew more aware that Zoro was going to kiss him after everything was done. He was caught wondering how he should approach it. With the prior kiss, he’d lost himself in it; craving the touch and closeness that a fevered dream had left in him. Sanji didn’t want to seem too eager for this kiss, as though he’d been waiting for it for days on end; even though that _was_ the reality of it. Slow and passionate really didn’t seem feasible. It was far too intimate for them, but the thought of that sent a strong thrill down his spine. The fiery, feverish pace suited them much better, but that lead to a very vivid imagery of using the galley table for something other than eating and that alone flushed his face and neck.

 

Sanji internally sighed, more conscious of the fact that his libido had returned with vengeance that day. He was also aware that Zoro had stopped scrubbing and was watching him. Sanji felt his face burn. Maybe Zoro _could_ read minds because he always happened to look at Sanji when ever he was thinking any pleasant thoughts like that.

 

“ _What?_ ” Sanji snapped. “Keep scrubbing.” Zoro reluctantly started scrubbing again.

 

“Thinking about the girls?” Zoro guessed and Sanji frowned. Well that was confirmation that he couldn’t read minds, which was a relief.

 

“None of your business,” Sanji said and busied himself with putting away the final plates. “So what if I am?”

 

“Because I can tell when you’re thinking your perverted thoughts,” Zoro informed him and Sanji grumbled. Of _course_ Zoro would have a freaky cambion ability like that.

 

“That’s a stupid ability.” Sanji was far from surprised by it though. It made other things fall into place. “Does that make you some sort of weird blood hound? Or would that be a sex hound?” Zoro dried his hands and still hadn’t finished that one damn pot. “Keep scrubbing.”

 

“Let it soak a damn minute,” Zoro said and moved closer to him, corralling Sanji’s back against the counter and trapped him there by his arms. “You’re the one getting started without me.” Their lips connected more fluidly than Sanji was ready for but lost all thoughts of how they were going to kiss and just did it. It was warm, just between fast and slow. It felt right and Sanji’s fingers gripped the soft, springy hair, which while not exactly feeling like a ball of moss, it did remind Sanji of a field of lush grass on a summer’s day.

 

It ended much sooner than the previous kiss as Zoro turned his head sharply to break lip contact. Sanji swallowed and caught himself from pulling Zoro back into it. He released the green hair from his grip and pushed Zoro’s chest to put distance between them as he got his head back together. It was like struggling to wake up when all he wanted to do was sleep 5 minutes more.

 

“That it?” Sanji asked and couldn’t help but pull out a fresh cigarette to fill the empty space at his mouth.

 

“It’s enough for a couple days,” Zoro said as he pulled back and ran his thumb over his lips, as though getting the last bit of flavor from the kiss. “You said you wanted me to leave some.”

 

“Yeah. It’s fine.” Sanji didn’t feel the drastic shift from pure lust to fluttering butterflies so it was less traumatic than the previous times. It didn’t change the fact that he wanted Zoro back against him and thoughts of inappropriately using the galley table. He had to try harder to not let his mind wander to those sorts of things. The whole kissing arrangement was going to take some getting used to. Zoro stood watching him and Sanji turned a glare on him. “Don’t you have a pot to finish?” Zoro rolled his eyes and went back to scrubbing until Sanji was happy with it.


	7. Silent Bells of Chasity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank everyone who've been reviewing :) And now, some plot.

Zoro was relieved when they finally found their next island. He’d been itching for land for long before his starvation streak. They’d been out of booze for a week and he knew from Sanji’s various complaints that he had run out of several spices for a dish he wanted to make. The arrangement they had wasn’t so bad, even if he did have to scrub dishes most of the time. It wasn’t unlike getting to taste one of Sanji’s special deserts and Sanji’s resistance to kissing diminished quickly since their first. Half the time, Zoro really didn’t need to help the lust spike. He could just wait while he finished the chore in the sink and Sanji would get himself into some sort of day dream. The lust would rise up suddenly, as though taking Sanji by surprise and he’d try to distract himself with a cigarette. That was primarily when Zoro struck and leeched from the cook. The system worked out well enough and it gained a fluidity as they continued it for the past few weeks

 

The island had a natural rock line that made a good harbor for Merry to be anchored at. Most of the crew wanted to jump to shore at once, though Usopp was volunteered by length of straws to stay until they gathered information on the island. A strong gust buffeted them from the island of rock and trees and, oddly enough, a powerful, flowery scent caused Zoro to sneeze.

 

Ever attuned to the crew’s health, Chopper asked him as they hopped the rocks to the area that looked like it was human inhabited, “You alright, Zoro?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Zoro rubbed his nose, ignoring his eyes stinging with the force of it.

 

“It’s not like you to catch a cold,” Chopper kept an eye on him and by the time they reached solid land, it happened again.

 

“Shit,” Zoro grumbled. He’d never been sick before and he certainly didn’t want to start when they’d just gotten to an island.

 

“Maybe being at sea too long is too much for the little marimo.” Sanji said with a mean smirk. They walked up an embankment, having lost sight of Luffy already because of the captain's excitement but Nami and Robin were walking more with Chopper's speed, which of course kept the cook in range.

 

“Shut up, swirly brow,” Zoro snapped. Sanji could still be a pain in the ass when he was in the mood. And apparently today was one of those moods. As they climbed up, more floral scenery came into view, including several strange plants. In abundance down the path was bushes of purple flowers that hung down like bells along delicate branches.

 

“Oh, look at these,” Chopper picked a branch as they walked and swayed the branch to and fro to see them move. They didn't chime, but they certainly moved as though silently ringing. “There seem to be lots of new plants here. Maybe Zoro has some nasal allergies to some of the new pollen.”

 

“Then maybe waving around that branch next to Zoro isn’t helping,” Nami suggested helpfully. Chopper ceased his waving of the branched and gave Zoro an apologetic look.

 

“Sorry, Zoro,” he said shyly. Zoro was holding his nose for if that was indeed the case and he was more annoyed with the sensation cotton being stuffed in his head rather than Chopper’s childlike fascination with new plants.

 

“It’s fine,” Zoro said. He’d suffer through it and hope that the log post set quickly so they could leave. He could survive a day or two so long as it was a quiet place… though that was slim chances considering every island they’d been to previously. Actually, zero chances the more he thought about it.

 

“I can make you some medicine that would help,” Chopper offered. “I just need some things. Maybe they grow on the island.”

 

“Thanks.” Zoro rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand because they itched like crazy and Chopper tapped his leg.

 

“Don’t rub, you’ll make it worse,” Chopper scolded.

 

Sanji chuckled. “A demon with allergies. This is priceless.”

 

They entered the town, nestled in a shallowly wooded area but that new purple plant was in abundance, outlining the every corner. It was in front of every house and in the center of the square was a huge tree of it, drooping like a weeping willow and raining a small sea of petals under it like sakura blossoms. Stranger yet, they were greeted by several of the village women, welcomed civilly -even though they were pirates-, and a ring of purple flowers were placed around their necks; two were draped over Chopper’s antlers.

 

“Welcome to Libertine Island. This is the town of Piety,” the women greeted them. Of course Sanji was happy about being greeted by a small flock of women but Zoro’s nose just burned with the flowers around his neck and he took them off immediately when no one was looking.

 

Nami inquired about the log post and they were informed that it took two weeks for it to set to the next island. Zoro grumbled and really did hope Chopper had some sort of medication for the allergy thing. He had never experienced the amount of discomfort that he had in his head; the mild sensation that his brain could explode with a moment’s notice. They also found Luffy had acquired several flower necklaces and was making flower peddle angels in the sea under the tree.

 

“Chastity bell,” an elderly woman informed them when Chopper asked what the string of flowers were. “They’re a sacred plant here. One of purity and a long history of keeping this town in order.”

 

“Of course you’d be allergic to something that’s for purity,” Sanji quipped to Zoro and, having enough of Sanji's comments, butted heads with him.

 

“Do you want to fight, cook? Because I’m not in the mood for your face right now,” Zoro threatened and Sanji butted his head back, glaring.

 

“What’s that about my face, marimo?” Sanji snapped and Nami hit them both with her staff.

 

“We JUST got here. Can’t you too get along for 5 minutes?” she asked and Zoro rubbed the bump on his head, which mildly distracted him from punching Sanji in his pretty face. He wasn’t in a good mood and Sanji wasn’t helping. Something was off but with his head stuffed up he couldn’t pin point what it was.

 

* * *

 

Once Zoro took the medication Chopper offered him his head cleared, he stopped sneezing, and his eyes stopped itching; confirming Chopper’s earlier diagnosis. When he got a quiet moment he realized what was so instinctively off for him. There was no lust in the town.

 

He’d never felt such a thing and the realization unnerved him.

 

The town was picturesque perfect. The kind of town most tried to be but never succeeded. He’d seen no brothels and no prostitutes when the night fell. Everyone wore modest clothing for the breezy weather. Apparently no one’s mind was on sex, not even the couple of teenagers he’d seen on his exploration with Chopper when the reindeer needed to go shopping. It was bizarre. Also, he couldn’t remember seeing any kids, but then, it made sense. No lust made no drive to make kids. But it was a little disheartening to see such passionless people. Peaceful, but also boring.

 

Even the crew seemed effected by it and Zoro laid uneasily in his hammock instead of ashore with the rest of them. He’d just taken his share of Sanji’s lust the previous night and by the time he’d returned to the ship that day he couldn’t feel the normal waves of lust from him.

 

An ominous cloud hovered over Zoro’s mind and he numbly wondered how he was going to feed during the next 2 weeks. At least when Sanji first cut him off he’d had the rest of his nakama to feed from.

 

Zoro slept and searched as far as his mind would allow. Traveling in dreams was always easy for him. He didn’t even walk; he more or less floated there, weightless but propelled with his thoughts. He could just turn in any direction in his given space and he would be where he wanted; much faster than physically walking anywhere. Every time he expected to do it in the real world, it didn’t quite work the same; but he _did_ always wind up where he needed to be _eventually_.

 

In Piety, he searched for anyone he could feed from. He guessed from the hazy outline between the dreams that -from the ship- he easily reached the majority of the town. Each one felt the same as he approached it, lustless and instead filled with the mundane cycling through the day's madness. Well, they seemed as mundane as dreams could be in any case. But there was nothing for him. Nothing to sustain a cambion. He didn't bother entering any of them. Even the crew slept easily in their hotel rooms. Theirs felt familiar and by comparison, the same as when he himself had drained them. But he had not in days. It unnerved him enough to wake up from dream land and then he heard the clopping of feet on the deck from the one nakama who had not been sleeping on shore.

 

“Chopper,” Zoro greeted as he found the doctor in his office. Chopper squeaked and jumped as he was reaching for one of his books. Chopper caught himself and Zoro yawned just before a sharp sneeze wracked his body. Chopper was holding a branch of the chastity bell.

 

“Z-Zoro!” Chopper breathed a sigh of relief when he steadied himself, both book and plant in his cloven hooves. “Sorry, I know you’re allergic, but I feel like I’ve seen this in one of my books before.” Zoro held his nose, glaring at the plant and Chopper helpfully tossed him a bottle with his home remedy rattling inside. Zoro caught it and begrudgingly took one.

 

“Notice anything weird about the town?” Zoro asked and tucked the bottle into his haramaki.

 

“Mm…” Chopper flipped through his plant book at his desk. “It is much more mellow than expected. Especially after Bazooka Island. I mean, we’ve been here the whole day and no one seems to care that you or Luffy have a bounty on your head. So it’s not bad.”

 

“But it’s not good.” Zoro shrugged. “I think I saw one kid there under the age of ten.” Chopper looked up at him and tapped his hoof to his chin, nodding.

 

“Now that I think about it, you’re right. That’s strange.” He glanced at the flowers that he’d set on the table, the little bells sitting so innocently. “These plants are everywhere in town. The people cultivate them specially and it could have some side effect. They may have some anaphrodisiac properties.”

 

“I can confirm that it’s not an aphrodisiac,” Zoro said firmly.

 

“Um… Oh, not _an_ aphrodisiac. An anaphrodisiac is the opposite. It reduces sex drive and blunts the libido.” Chopper paused. “You can confirm it’s not an aphrodisiac?”

 

“No one in town as any drive for sex,” Zoro said bitterly.

 

“Oh, right. You visited the dreams?” Chopper tapped his hoof to his mouth and then blinked. “You need to feed on sexual energy, so you just can’t from the towns people.”

 

“The thing is, everyone from the ship lost theirs too.” It felt a little more real saying it and Zoro could have done without that realization.

 

“Everyone?” Chopper inspected the chastity bell on the desk, frowning at it. “Well if this plant is causing that then it’s properly named.” He looked at Zoro. “Are you going to be okay? There’s a two week wait for the log post.”

 

“Well, I won’t ‘starve’ to death,” Zoro said and Chopper let out a sigh of relief before Zoro mentioned the bad news. “I’ll just turn into a demon.”

 

“A-a demon?” Chopper squawked fearfully. “Like a big blood thirsty beast that will eat your soul?!” He dropped to the floor and hid himself backwards at his desk leg. Zoro rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t mean to startle Chopper, but at least someone should know the details if he really couldn’t find lust for the next two weeks.

 

“I don’t know, actually. I never went two weeks without feeding before.” Zoro leaned in the door way, thinking far back in his memories. “I just know my body changes and my head gets really fuzzy. I don’t feel like myself. I don’t think like myself. I don’t know what will happen.”

 

Chopper came out from his ‘hiding’ spot and his hoof scratched his chin. “I don’t have any books on demons. Maybe they’ll have information here on the island. Or maybe even Robin will have something in her history books.”

 

“You can check tomorrow,” Zoro assured him. “I think I have a few days before I start changing.” He wasn’t hungry _yet_ , but knowing there wasn’t any energy put him on edge.

 

“Well… I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” Chopper said hopefully. “We haven’t explored the whole island yet so maybe there are other towns without chastity bell.”

 

“Maybe,” Zoro said. “Chopper, let’s keep this on the down low for now, alright? No sense explaining the situation to everyone if it doesn’t happen.”

 

“Alright, Zoro.” Chopper smiled happily. “I’ll keep researching and keep you updated.” Zoro nodded and with a short farewell he headed back to the bunker in hopes to avoid the gusts of pollen that blew from the land to the cove of their ship.


	8. Water, Water everywhere, but not a drop to drink

“Oh, wow!” Luffy said loudly as he looked up from the town square and towards the center of the island itself. In the day light they could see an extremely high incline of a mountain that seemed to climb into the clouds and curled at the top as though the whole mountain itself decided it was too tired to hold itself upright, so it slouched and curled. “What a weird mountain!”

 

Sanji blew out a stream of smoke and smiled because Luffy had finally explored the whole town, got bored, and started looking for more interesting things. And of course his eyes landed on a huge mountain that could have rivaled Drum Island’s. Trees only extended partway up the mountain’s base from where they could see, then became rocky cliffs before ascending into white snow. It was quite picturesque.

 

“I’m gonna climb it!” Luffy announced with a wide grin.

 

“Is that really necessary?” Usopp asked carrying shopping supplies with Sanji to restock the kitchen. Sanji had learned to restock on non-perishables as soon as they got to town, for just in case they had to make a quick get away. If they actually had a peaceful time on the island this time he planed to pack the kitchen with as much food as Nami would allow for their budget. “Can’t we just relax here?”

 

“Sanji, I need a boxed lunch!” Luffy said and Usopp sighed with having his words ignored. Luffy was going to do what he said, and that was that.

 

“Sure, I’ll make you one when we get back to the ship,” Sanji agreed. If it would keep the captain entertained for a while, he’d do it. Speaking of the ship, he hadn’t seen Zoro since the marimo turned tail to go back to it with Robin’s assistance; the excuse being that if she was going to stay on land there was a book she wanted with her, but Sanji knew it was so Zoro didn’t get lost the whole 3 minute walk back to the ship.

 

Zoro having allergies to an innocent purple plant had to be the most amusing thing he’d ever seen. Fierce Demon of the East Blue had pollen allergies. He smirked, remembering how riled up Zoro got when he teased him. He still got a kick out of it and he didn’t think that would ever change. Though Sanji _did_ understand it was a shame that they’d been out at sea so long and Zoro couldn’t even enjoy his shore time. Sanji decided he’d go back and make sure Zoro got his incubus meal at least. Along with Luffy’s lunch box, he’d have to make Zoro actual food as well if he wasn’t staying on land. The rest of them were enjoying the local cuisine and Sanji learned that the chastity bell was used as a spice in all the dishes. It had a slightly bitter taste and reminded him of fennel seed in flavor. If Zoro was allergic to the pollen he doubted Zoro could eat it, so it was probably a good thing he’d gone back to the Going Merry.

 

‘Feeding’ Zoro every other day had gotten easier as time passed. He’d dare say it was enjoyable. He still felt the awkward fact that he was kissing the asshole that he fought with most of the time, but there came a comfort with the practice. Familiarizing himself with Zoro’s kiss was one way to vent the stirring emotions he felt. Touching and being touched, even for a few minutes, was a bliss that was always followed by a slight emptiness when they parted. It wasn’t like Sanji expected it to be enough, but it seemed like he was pathetic enough to affect him. It was sweet, bitter, and sad all at once. At least he was getting _something_ but it wasn’t _enough_ to satisfy him. If it was anyone else –if it was any _woman_ \- it would be easier, he thought. But this was _Zoro_.

 

Love _–not that THIS was love-_ was not supposed to be so hard. This had to be some sort of short time infatuation. That was it, Sanji decided confidently. They’d been on the ship for far too long and he hadn’t seen other people in over a month. He hadn’t seen other women to enjoy and he certainly had to have some sort of ship-cabin fever from the whole cambion business. After all, Zoro was the only one giving him physical attention. And did it really matter if it was man or woman if it was just kissing?

 

Never mind the persistent butterflies or racing heart beat. It didn’t mean anything because…

 

Sanji sighed as he saw the Going Merry docked where they left it. He still couldn’t find a reason it didn’t matter because it DID; even if he didn’t want it to. He was still sticking with the infatuation excuse though; it was a much better word to the alternative. At least then he could hope it would peter out and he could give his full attention back to Nami and Robin.

 

Usopp and Luffy dropped off his supplies so he could put it away and Sanji started making a boxed lunch for Luffy’s latest adventure. Usopp was determined to take a leaf out of Nami’s book and relax on the island and _not_ climb a mountain. Chopper was also on the ship and was pouring through his books. Their doctor looked like he hadn’t gotten any sleep but furiously scribbled notes in a book. The tell tale snoring from the bunker told him Zoro was sleeping in the middle of the day and Sanji rolled his eyes. It was odd that Zoro wasn’t lounging on deck, but then again, with his allergies, the swordsman probably wasn’t feeling all that well.

 

Sanji scoffed with a smile as he set to work making something for when the demon woke up. The least he could do was make Zoro some chicken soup and add some spice to help with the gross sounding congestion that he had.

 

By the time Sanji finished Luffy’s boxed lunch, Chopper had succumbed to the fact that what he needed was not in any of this books. He went ashore, mentioning he wanted to talk to Robin anyway. Luffy enthusiastically thanked Sanji for the large portioned lunch and ran off with Usopp following as he was headed back to town. That left Sanji and Zoro on the ship. Sanji let the soup cook and season as he placed everything on it’s proper shelves and secured it before he climbed down into the bunker to wake Zoro.

 

Even Sanji had to grimace slightly with how utterly miserable Zoro looked. He looked paler and even more sluggish than usual after a nap. His nose was red from constantly being rubbed or sneezing. Seeing Zoro sick was not actually a highlight of his night so he withheld any mean jabs he _could_ have said and instead served Zoro a generous portion from the pot at the galley table.

 

“At least you’re spared the dishes tonight since we’re all eating on the island,” Sanji commented dryly as Zoro drank down the broth.

 

“At least there’s that,” Zoro muttered.

 

“I’ll mercifully come over to feed you though.” Sanji lit up a cigarette and leaned against the counter. “Looks like this might actually be a boring island.”

 

Zoro made a non-committed noise and Sanji guessed the allergies smothered Zoro’s normal annoyed mood into a solemn muted one. How annoying. Zoro finished his bowel and even washed it without having to be told.

 

“I’ll leave the pot here, you can serve yourself when you need,” Sanji said as Zoro was finishing up. “Should last you tonight and most of tomorrow. I’ll drop by tomorrow to make something else.”

 

“Thanks,” Zoro said and Sanji blinked because Zoro headed to the door instead of approaching him.

 

“Hey,” Sanji said loudly, catching Zoro’s attention. “Aren’t you, you know, ‘hungry’?” It was the second day since Zoro had last taken energy and he’d thought Zoro would get the gist that he wasn’t coming back that night.

 

“Yeah, I am,” Zoro said and grimaced some, as though hating to admit what he was about to. “But you have no lust to take.” Sanji stared at Zoro, confused.

 

“What are you talking about?” Sanji asked. “I thought you said I had lots to take.”

 

Zoro sighed and folded his arms as he looked to Sanji. “You don’t. Can’t you tell?”

 

Sanji frowned. Everything seemed normal to him. They’d gotten to the island, spent the night, went shopping. Nami had been talking about getting new clothes and the guys had gone shopping for the kitchen… Sanji paused in mid thought. Nami-had-gone-shopping... and he’d completely forgotten to offer to go with her!

 

“Gah! I didn’t even think about asking to watch her try things on!” Sanji said suddenly, hands tugging his hair in anguish. Nami never said yes without a large fee, but he often hoped she would so he could openly watch her and praise how beautiful she looked in ever thing she came out in. Because Nami was amazing in every way like that. “What was I thinking?!” Zoro rolled his eyes.

 

“Oh look, you were actually thinking with your head instead of your dick,” Zoro said and Sanji glared at him. “See, no lust.” Sanji frowned. Zoro had not drained him the last time. He’d been fine the night before.

 

“What happened? Did you do something?” Sanji asked suspiciously, vaguely wondering if Zoro had dipped back into his dreams.

 

“No, I didn’t. Since we came to this island, everyone lost their lust,” Zoro said. “Chopper thinks it’s because of the chastity bell since there’s so much of it.” Zoro sniffled with the mention of the plant. “I checked the town last night. No one has any lust there either.” Sanji stared at him, a little lost because it had so quickly become a routine that Zoro ate, did the dishes, and they parted with a kiss. It was simple and it left him with that melancholy feeling, but he looked forward to them anyway.

 

“The log post doesn’t set for two weeks,” Sanji said.

 

“I know,” Zoro sounded calm at least.

 

“But um, but you’ve gone those two weeks before when I was pissed off at you.”

 

“It’s not like last time. I had the rest of the crew and at least they had something. But now no one has anything.” Zoro looked severely uncomfortable. “I think these allergies are taking a toll on me too.”

 

Sanji stared at Zoro for the longest time, his heart racing because this was not adding up well. “So no one on the island has any energy you can feed on?”

 

“Doesn’t look like it so far.”

 

“Well… how are you supposed to feed?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“How long can you even last without it?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Aren’t you going to turn into a demon if you don’t get fed?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Sanji slammed his fist down on the counter, temper exploding. “Can you at least act like there’s a serious situation?! You’re supposed to turn into a demon and you don’t have anything to say about that?!”

 

Zoro frowned. At least his tone was serious this time, “What? Would it be better if I started freaking out?”

 

“It would make ME feel better, yes!” Sanji snapped. “Fucking _explain_ yourself, god damn it!”

 

“I don’t _know_ what will happen, stupid cook.” Zoro’s own temper seemed to be rising as he was being yelled at, but he didn’t raise his voice like he did with their stupid fights. “I’ve never completely lost control before. Maybe a few days of not feeding makes me start to lose my head but I always found someone before I completely lost it. There have _always_ been people to get energy from. But now there’s plenty of people, but no lust. Even **you** …” He shook his hand in Sanji’s direction, as though Sanji was really a source to depend on. Zoro stopped himself and ran his hand though his mossy hair and he calmed himself from possibly freaking out like Sanji nearly was. And really, now that Sanji thought about it, if Zoro started freaking out then they really would be fucked.

 

“Look,” Zoro said, his voice forced calm. “If I do turn into something that tries to hurt anyone, you and Luffy have permission to kick my ass. Stop me if you have to. Chopper is doing research to see if he can find out anything out about cambion. Maybe something that will help stop me from turning into a demon.”

 

“Damn it, a lot of help you are,” Sanji said lowly and snuffed out his cigarette in the ash tray. “You’re a cambion but you don’t know anything about your own kind.” Zoro shrugged and it only annoyed Sanji further.

 

“I thought I was the only one like me,” Zoro said. “Never met another one. Never had a father to meet.” That hung in the air longer than Zoro seemed to want it too and he waved it off. “It’ll work out in one way or another. Freaking out doesn’t help anyone.” He left the galley without another word and Sanji had nothing else to say, listening to the door shut after Zoro. Sanji started another cigarette and wrapped his arms around himself.

 

Sanji remembered what it was like to lose a last bit of bread off the side of a cliff. A whole island to sit on but not a crumb to eat. An existence solely measured in how many days his body could live on without subsidence. The mind focused fully on the emptiness inside the body and every moment was left questioning if he was going to make it to the next day. He always equated Zoro’s incubus hunger with a second stomach to fill and it just happened to be fed with warm kisses. But now it didn’t look like kisses were going to do anyone any good.

 

Sanji smoked through 3 more cigarettes before he left the galley. He climbed down into the bunker where he found Zoro once more, rocking in his hammock. Zoro was awake this time though and glanced at Sanji, his arms tucked behind his neck as a pillow. Sanji pulled himself into his own hammock, facing Zoro and sitting so his legs hung out of the netting.

 

“I’m staying on the ship with you,” Sanji said firmly.

 

“Idiot,” Zoro quipped. “Go enjoy the shore time. You can’t do anything.”

 

“Maybe if I don’t go walking around the island or eat the prepared food, my lust will come back so you don’t have to starve,” Sanji reasoned. Zoro blinked, looking surprised. Sanji looked away from him, face feeling warm but it was always darker in the bunker so he doubted that Zoro could notice. “Can’t have you turning into a demon and hurting anyone, can I?”

 

Zoro was quiet a moment. “I don’t know if it’ll help. I still smell the plants here on the ship.”

 

“You say that as though it’s going to change my mind. I’m staying and you’re going to deal with it. I’ll make Usopp do some proper shopping since he’s not doing anything important.” Sanji folded his arms. “It’s not a very interesting island anyway. The beautiful women all wear long clothing and I can make better food here on the ship.” He watched Zoro’s hammock rock back and forth. “They don’t even had a brothel here. No dancing girls. Not even any damsels in distress. Nami and Robin will be safe while I’m away…” He noticed Zoro had a smile on his face, but not the usual smirk he got when they were sneering at one another. This one was softer, more genuine. “What are you smiling about, marimo?”

 

“Nothing,” Zoro said and looked at the ceiling. “Didn’t know you cared, cook.”

 

Sanji’s face warmed more and he felt his heart thud against his ribs. “S-shut up. I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for the rest of the crew. Can’t have you turning into a demon. You’d put our precious ladies at risk.” He quickly pulled out a cigarette to light up to distract himself. “Fuck you.”

 

Zoro sat up and looked at Sanji, swinging his legs over the side like Sanji had in his. “Well right now I don’t think you’d be up for that, even if you did want to.” Sanji nearly inhaled his cigarette when he realized what Zoro was insinuating. Instead he clamped his mouth shut on the end of it and forced himself to slowly breathe in the smoke. This man was going to be the death of him. His face felt fever hot but he strangely didn’t feel the embarrassing rush of arousal that accompanied such talk. He really was out of lust, as Zoro proclaimed. “It’s worth a shot,” Zoro said after a long moment. “If it does work, you should be back to normal in three days.”

 

“Yeah,” Sanji agreed. “Think you can hold out that long, shitty swordsman?”

 

“Of course I can, shitty cook.” Zoro returned and Sanji did notice that neither of them had the usual malice.


	9. Tick Tock Chimes the Clock

Zoro was more than surprised that Sanji was willing to stay on the ship with him. Even lustless-Sanji always found an excuse to be with the women or in town with new women to praise. Shore time was not a thing easily shrugged off by anyone either. Weeks at sea on their tiny ship made them itchy to move about, even if the island itself was a boring place, he would have not blamed any one of them for needing to stretch their limbs. Zoro himself was a little sick of being on the Merry, even if his allergies were worse on the island, he itched to go ashore again. So for Sanji to volunteer to stay for him just so he could feed again was strangely _sweet_ of him; even if it was for the whole crew’s benefit in the end.

 

The ship definitely was not as entertaining as it was with the rest of the crew. Everyone visited and even partook in a few meals, but eventually land drew them back and it was just Zoro and Sanji on the ship. Usopp became Sanji’s errand boy for the most part when ever Sanji realized he needed something, including restocking booze and fresh foods. Zoro gratefully passed the time with some of the alcohol. At least it made the time go by faster and made the company much more pleasant to be around. Not that Sanji had been a particular pain since they started their little routine of locking lips after dinner. Actually, Sanji had been downright tolerable; temperate in both mood and language. Maybe it was because Sanji was less lustful as of late.

 

With everyone else being off the ship, they spent the majority of the time together. Sometimes Zoro would sit on deck and Sanji would join him. They could banter a little and usually ended up talking about that happened at previous islands or what would be the next island. Or They could sit in the galley and speak of nothing, which was just as comfortable. Sanji was definitely less irritating with the women ashore.

 

Sanji constantly kept a hot pot of mint tea to help with his damn allergies, so combined with Chopper’s medicine he didn’t suffer completely though the whole ordeal. What Zoro did have to deal with was small mantras that would cycle in the back of his mind: ‘Hungry’, ‘Energy’, ‘Empty’, ‘Feed’. It was sort of pitiful, like when Luffy pined for meat at Sanji’s feet between lunch and dinner. Pitiful but persistent. It distracted him from any simple activity and cut though any hopes of meditating. It often butted in when Sanji was talking nonsense about something.

 

Zoro’s focus was completely shot on their 5th day docked at the island and even with Chopper’s medication, it wasn’t the pollen making a throbbing headache.

 

“Oi,” Sanji nudged his foot in Zoro’s thigh as he sat on deck. Zoro glanced up and was handed a fresh cup of tea. Zoro took it without a word and set it on the deck next to him. “Never thought I’d be saying this, but maybe you should sleep.”

 

“I’m not tired,” Zoro replied easily enough. He slept fine and he napped as well, but that was not the source of his wandering mind. The drum beat of hunger reached him even then and he was often tempted to take physical energy from the sleeping town. He was caught between giving in and pushing down the urge. That had always been dangerous territory. Lust was an energy that was meant to be spent but energy from the body was for everything to function correctly. How much would he be able to take before someone got sick? It weakened the immune system, opened a body to diseases, and invited viruses to breed. There was no gauge to check if he dipped too far and it did not fill him as lust did. It wasn’t even the knowledge that he would make people sick that really stopped him from doing it but there was an instinct that if he did it would only give more strength to that persistent voice that nagged him.

 

Fingers snapped in his face and Zoro blinked back to attention as Sanji said, “I said, ‘hey, your ear looks weird’. Face too for that matter.”

 

“Eh, that would be me turning into a demon,” Zoro said with a long drawl. He already knew his teeth were sharper, his ears had ridges, and his nose was flatter to his face.

 

“So… I guess nothing’s come back yet?” Sanji leaned against the railing next to where Zoro sat. Zoro shook his head. Sanji was still as lustless as he was when he decided to stay on the ship and they’d spent 3 nights together in the bunker. _Something_ was stirring, Zoro could almost feel it with how his energy senses had heightened with the hunger, and that was much more than he could say for anyone else on the island. Maybe Sanji's body was trying to make energy, but it never rose with Sanji's thoughts; flat-lined before it could grow. It could be the pollen hampering Sanji’s lust from coming back as quickly or even just the absence of the women from causing anything to interest him. Not that Robin and Nami didn’t visit, but they weren’t cramped in the ship with them all the time.

 

“Maybe tomorrow,” Sanji said and Zoro heard a match get struck for Sanji to start a new cigarette. The sun was nearly to the horizon, telling them the 6th day was just another night’s long wait. Sanji may have been lustless, but since hunger took up most of Zoro’s head he was tempted to take his vibrant physical energy. It was not normally tempting and definitely not as good tasting as lust. Zoro would rather eat some old pervert’s disgusting dream energy than eat physical energy. While lust could not really be defined by an earthly flavor, physical energy had a taste. It tasted like warm coppery blood. “Has Chopper said anything yet?” Zoro shook his head again.

 

“Nope. He said him and Robin had one more place to look in the library here,” Zoro wasn’t sure exactly what they were searching for but Chopper didn’t look too sure himself. “That was two days ago though.”

 

“Mm, maybe they’re working on it,” Sanji said. At least Sanji was optimistic about it. Zoro felt a finger on the shell of his ear and his head twisted away from it and he threw an annoyed look at Sanji. “You’re ears look freaky.”

 

“Well don’t touch them, they’re still my ears.” Zoro rubbed the three pronounced ridges along his ear because the brush tickled some.

 

“Looks like a fin,” Sanji commented with a teasing smile. “You might turn into some sort of fish demon looking thing. Maybe even a fishman.”

 

“If I turn into a fishman I can still kick your ass,” Zoro said even though he didn’t exactly feel like a ‘fishy’ sort of demon. “Maybe a shark.”

 

“Doesn’t look like a shark.” Sanji slid down on the railing to sit next to him. “I’d bet a barracuda with those fins you got going on.” Zoro rubbed the flesh between the membranes of the ridges. They felt more leathery than fin-like, and there was only three defined ridges. Zoro’s nose wrinkled because he couldn’t imagine turning into a barracuda-demon. What would one even look like?

 

“I don’t think I’m turning into a fish-demon.” Zoro folded his arms. “I’d be a cooler looking demon. Maybe I’ll grow horns and wings.” Sanji scoffed and a laugh came from him, sounding nice to Zoro’s ears.

 

“How boring,” Sanji said. “I bet you’d want goat hooves and red skin too. Oh sorry, green skin to match you’re hair.”

 

Zoro scoffed. “Shut up.” It was completely what he was thinking and Sanji wasn’t allowed to mind read; all except the green skin, anyway. Maybe he’d look like an oni; that would be okay too. He leaned his chin in his hand and glanced at Sanji, who looked back with a softer expression than normal. Despite himself, Zoro thought the cook looked cute. He wasn’t even sure what it was. Could have been the easy smile, but it was more in the half lidded eyes that seemed more affectionate than usual. “What?”

 

“Hm?” Sanji seemed to realize he was staring and he looked away. “Nothing.” He pushed himself to his feet. “I’m going to make dinner.” Zoro watched him disappear into the galley and he stayed on deck for a few minutes.

 

 _Energy_ , his mind reminded him and instinctively he wanted to go follow Sanji because that’s what he normally did but Sanji didn’t have it to spare. _Feed_. He took a deep breath and forced the persistent voice to shut the hell up. It still hummed there annoyingly and his headache throbbed

 

Zoro followed Sanji into the galley anyway after a while and found him with his jacket off and his sleeves already rolled to his elbows, cutting vegetables. Sanji looked up and frowned.

 

“I’m cooking,” Sanji said firmly and it was Sanji’s policy to kick people out when he was cooking; at least most of the time. It looked like Sanji was back to having a permanent annoyance towards him.

 

“I see that,” Zoro said in return. If Sanji really wanted to kick him out, he’d have to put down his knife and do it himself. Zoro walked over and scoffed at what Sanji was cutting. “Carrots.” And celery, but that wasn’t the funny part.

 

“Shut up.” Sanji’s face was a nice rosy red. “If you’re going to watch, do so silently.” He went back to chopping with stoic ease. Measured cuts so precise it could be mistaken for sword work. Zoro did watch for a little bit. He watched Sanji operate in his comfort zone and completely ignore him.

 

Zoro sometimes wondered if he could get to Sanji after dinner and really taste him. Not through the short kisses they often exchanged. Sanji tasted good normally, so of course he wondered what Sanji's orgasm tasted like. Instead of draining Sanji, he could rev him up and show him how those dreams actually felt like. He would gladly partake in witnessing every shivering twitch Sanji made or sound from his lips. Zoro swallowed dryly and wondered if maybe that could break through the damn pollen that blew in from shore. He wondered if Sanji would let him.

 

“You can _sit_ or something,” Sanji told him with an uneasy look. “Don't just stand there looking at me like I'm the main course.” Zoro realized he was zoning out again and he rubbed his head.

 

“I was just thinking,” Zoro said after a moment and he moved closer, “there is something we haven't tried.” Sanji tilted his head in mild confusion. Zoro laid his hands heavily on Sanji's slim waist and his lips descended on the warmth of Sanji's nape. He felt Sanji's body stiffen and go very still as he kissed to where the collar met neck. Sanji was very warm and inviting and didn’t even turn to kick him.

 

The disappointing part was that Zoro did not feel the normal mouth watering spike of lust on Sanji's skin. There was hot flesh under his mouth and a pulse of strong physical energy just under the fair layer of skin. For the briefest of moments Zoro’s head was filled with very clear and vivid images of sinking his sharp teeth into Sanji's neck to satisfy his hunger. Rivers of blood dripping down fair flesh; an embodiment of the energy he craved. He needed. _Feed_.

 

Zoro yanked himself back several steps from Sanji, clenching his teeth together sharply; they fell uniformly against each other even though they were much sharper now. Sanji stared at him, half turned from his spot more from being startled rather than a move to rebuff him. His face was red and he looked stunned and probably not fully aware that Zoro's jaw had been poised -for a moment- to tear out actual flesh. From his own nakama.

 

“Shit,” he muttered and turned. He left the galley without another word, slamming the door behind him. He was in control, he reminded himself. In control. Zoro was in control. Not his damn hunger.

 

He climbed to the crows nest and ignored Sanji's calling for him not even a couple minutes later. He also ignored Sanji when he inevitably checked the crows next and demanded that he explain what the fuck just happened in the galley.

 

Zoro did not though. He would not be able to say clearly that he had the urge to eat the cook; and not in the way that could be fun. It wasn't him and he wouldn't do that. Explaining it would just make it real and he did not lie well, so he just didn't speak.

 

Eventually Sanji got to fed up with him, kicked him over the head and fumed as he descended back to the ship; saying things such as 'absolutely crazy demon-marimo' and other obscenities pertaining to Zoro.

 

Zoro just closed his eyes. He shoved down the drumming to continue what he'd envisioned in the galley, and steeled himself to wait out the night; and as many as it took for them to leave the damn island.

 

* * *

 

Somehow, Zoro drifted to sleep in the night. He decided that making someone sick was better than sinking his teeth into Sanji and attempting to become a cannibal. He went to town where all the dreams were mellow and calm. He went to the nearest one, deciding it wasn't important who it was as long as he took a little and moved on to the next person. The closest not-too-happy-and-not-too-sad dream would do, he decided and approached the white puff cloud.

 

That was solid as a steel door.

 

Zoro didn't have physical strength in the sleep-haze world. Nothing had ever stopped him from doing anything he wanted. The clouds normally allowed him in with as much resistance as fog. He pushed, he shoved, and hell, he even tried diving into it like he did the sea when he was trying to get Luffy back to land. He tried the next dream, and the next, each leaving him more frustrated and desperate than the last.

 

He almost cried out with enough frustration to wake himself up but he stopped as he caught a sense of something else. Someone else? At the edge of his sleep-vision, outside of Piety and the chastity bell was a creature on four legs, with ram horns and its gray fur was smudged with blue. He locked eyes with it for a moment but then it turned tail and ran out of sight; out of Zoro's boundary and into its own.

 

That time Zoro did awaken and he stood, looking out at the island, almost expecting to see the creature standing out on the cliff edge out looking back. It was not. The island was pitch black, save for the lights coming from Piety. Zoro slid down quickly from the crows nest to the deck and did not even check to see if Sanji was sleeping or still in the galley. He hopped the rocks to the island, sneezed once, and bypassed the row of chastity bell into the woods while holding his breath. His lungs burned now as he was near the plants; Chopper's medication or not.

 

He walked. He walked until the chastity bell stopped growing and there were only familiar, normal trees. His eyes stopped itching and he could breath regularly for the first time in days. He remembered vaguely how nice it was to be on land. He didn't find any other beings in the forest after a long time so he sat at the base of a tree and decided that if he could sleep he might run into it again. It was better than being stuck at the ship waiting to lose his mind.

 

He really should have been more aware of the fact that he was entering into something else's territory.


	10. Prescription Curses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now a small interlude with our favorite doctor and archaeologist.

Chopper had explained the situation to Robin as Zoro had to him. The problem was that there was a serious deficiency in lust from the chastity bell and because of that Zoro would become a demon. They had to prevent him from becoming dangerous since he couldn't consume the energy he needed. Not to mention, a sexually deficient town didn't really help with the small population on the island, but that wasn't their immediate concern.

 

He had found the chastity bell plant in his books and found that it was not a plant suited to temperate climates of the island. It was from a dryer land, something closer to Alabasta's climate and grew more in small bushels rather than the tree that flaked constantly in the square. It didn't thrive on Libertine. The islanders had to devote a lot of time to the plants to make sure the soil wasn't too wet and that they were warm enough. It was a good plant to aid with sleep and was suggested as a tea for pleasant dreams. It was also listed as a medically proven anaphrodesiac, which Chopper had guessed before, but having it confirmed made him feel better.

 

Robin didn't have any books dedicated fully to mythologies or demons so they hit the library together. It wasn't a very large, which matched the town's small stature. Robin found history on Piety itself but Chopper did not find any books on demons in the medical section. He found humans and fishmen, but no paranormal entities. Doctorine had also never given him any books on demons. She'd only once mentioned that demons used to be blamed for sickness in place of true medical knowledge, but he wondered, since Zoro did have to exist on human energy, did it not hold some truth? Not that any of them had been consecutively sick once he had made sure Nami was healthy after Drum Island.

 

What Robin found was interesting but not particularly helpful. Piety had apparently been a very active alcove for a growing town with less than pure intentions. It was apparently a good harbor for sea traffic about 100 years ago and with such advances there were also businesses to cater to the masses; brothels, prostitutes, drugs, and so on. Just like many advancing towns. But then someone introduced the chastity bell and it was cultivated, being very popular as a sleep aid. The history claimed many things, such as it had ended rampant sicknesses, pregnancies out of wedlock, and even violence was eased with each successful plant to be sewn. That was perhaps why the plant was sacred there. But as Zoro had pointed out, no lust meant no children and within the last 100 years a thriving town of 1500 had dwindled to a third of the original and the town's progress had ground to a halt with lack of trading.

 

It WAS peaceful, Chopper agreed, and he supposed he should be happy that the town seemed to be in a flowery scented bubble, but some parts didn't sit right with him

 

All of their research required time. He and Robin poured through books for a few days, learning what they could on the subject of demons though history and Chopper was frustrated with the medical community for not having a single mention of things like Zoro. Unfortunately, what mythology had was not facts, but stories. Those stories fluctuated with each book and even the same story could have different details. Chopper liked his concrete facts, they let him know what to give a sick person. A broken bone needed to be set and given time to heal. A specific recipe of plants could be used for rashes or burns.

 

Robin suggested that they were looking at the situation too logically. Chopper wasn't sure how that was. After all, they were trying to find out how to keep Zoro from becoming a demon when he didn't have any lust for two weeks.

 

“Well the situation itself isn't very logical,” Robin said as she sat at the library table where several books were open. Chopper sat next to her while skimming one of them. “We have a demon who enters dreams and takes lust; which shouldn't be a consumable good.”

 

“Hm...” Chopper rubbed his chin and his brain was throbbing. “The only things the books say is how to get rid of demons, but we don't want to get rid of Zoro. I like him the way he is.”

 

“Mr. Swordsman is very good the way he is,” Robin agreed and with the wave of her hand, several others rose up and closed all the books on the table, causing Chopper to blink. “We can't learn anymore from these books. I think we have a better chance of asking the locals since they are so invested in our problematic plant.”

 

Chopper agreed and was not going to protest a break since his eyes were so tired of reading. “I wonder if I could put Zoro into a drug induced sleep until we leave the island,” He said, only half curious but really, he didn't have the equipment for that.

 

Robin informed him that the best place to start was with the elders of Piety. It really didn't take long for them to find a chatty old woman who had started sweeping the peddles from the town square to talk about the significance of the chastity bell to Piety.

 

“My grandmother was here long before the chastity bell,” she said wistfully. “She didn't much like it because she was young and enjoyed the excitement that the harbor brought. She used to say it brought all sorts of rambunctious men and women like yourselves that made trouble.” She gave a mild shrug. “Then again she also said there was a demon who lived in the mountain.”

 

“Demon?” Chopper asked nervously.

 

“Yes, yes,” the old woman confirmed. “She said it would come down at night and breed with the whores and the sinners. Then after the chastity bell, they say demons disguised as children turned into monsters and ran back to their father. So in the eyes of the town, it was purified.”

 

“Sounds like a miraculous tale,” Robin said and she nudged Chopper. “Didn't the captain run up the mountain?” Chopper thought for a moment and he jumped, gasping.

 

“He did! He hasn't come back yet.” Chopper looked up at the slouching mountain, maybe trying for a moment to see if he could see Luffy trying to climb it, but he gave up immediately afterward. “That was days ago.”

 

The old woman tisked. “I do hope he brought some chastity bell with him. The woods are dangerous without it.”

 

“You don't say,” Robin said conversationally.

 

“Yes, yes. Everyone in the town knows it. My mother raised me smart, I never go outside of town without a fresh branch of chastity bell. Many people who do come here now a days may wander off and they don't come back.” Chopper made a worried sound but Robin patted the top of his hat.

 

“I'm sure Luffy is fine,” Robin said confidently and Chopper agreed with a nod, if only because he thought Luffy could also be lost in the huge island forest. “Do you know what exactly is in the forest that makes it so dangerous?” Robin asked the old woman.

 

“I suppose it could be the demon children,” she said airily, as though never doubting it's authenticity. “I never saw one myself in the woods.” She scratched her chin thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it, I think the only things we've seen that are in these woods are the eyes that watch when we're picking wild herbs.”

 

“We're rather curious about those creatures, actually,” Robin mentioned. “But we couldn't find anything in the library about them.”

 

“Oh, nothing?” The woman said. “I guess you wouldn't find anything there. But grandma told me a great deal about them. Even wrote about them. She was very into the occult at the time.”

 

With a little prodding the old woman agreed to let them see. She seemed happy that young people were taking an interest in the world around them, most specifically at something a relative of hers made. At first it was slightly disappointing to Chopper. It was full of hand written poems describing a demon that invaded dreams that left one wanting and tired afterwards. Poems of paranormally charming people that were flesh and blood. Then some of monsters like vampires that leached the life from humans. But then they came across an odd thing, a recipe for a curse.

 

“An Incubus Curse.” Robin read curiously, “' _for that back stabbing Penny Gretchen_ '. How thoughtful.” Chopper shivered, not thinking very highly of the peddle sweeping old woman's young grandmother.

 

“Creepy.” Chopper was ready to move on but Robin pointed out the ingredients, which were mostly plants and some bark.

 

“Off the top of your head, do you know what these plants are, doctor?”

 

“Hm, let's see.” Chopper eyed the list and saw they were actual plant names and not something such as 'eye of newt' or 'rat tail'. “Oh, ginseng, that's actually very good for you. Nutmeg is a spice. Maca root and Horny Goat Weed... None of these are poisonous. They're very good for blood flow and...” He paused. “Well, they ARE rumored to be aphrodisiacs.”

 

“Well, maybe we shouldn't focus on stopping Mr. Swordsman from becoming a demon. Instead, we should focus on getting him fed,” Robin suggested and Chopper smiled, glad to finally find something that would help their nakama.

 

“Something to combat the effects of the chastity bell,” he realized. “Alright, let's do it. I have most of these at the ship.”

 

They copied the list and thanked the old women for her time before Robin said, “How about we start brewing up a curse?”

 

“Can we not call it a curse?” Chopper asked. “I'd prefer it be called a super vitamin.”


	11. Curses Require Victims

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All your lovely comments make it hard not to post another chapter. :) And this happens to have one of my favorite parts in it.

It was unfortunate that the Piety apothecary did not have everything that was on the list, the shop keeper did inform them that wild plants grew in the woods but by then it was too dark to go searching for plants. Chopper felt a little bad that he hadn't reported anything with good results for two days, but he was sure once they gathered the plants and returned to make the vitamin, Zoro would be in higher spirits than when they left. He couldn't be sure of the results, but the combined mixture was sure to aid with the physiological aspects of sexuality.

 

They went into the woods the next morning and found the remaining plants. They brought branches of chastity bell just in case the old woman's folktale was true. Chopper did feel as though they were being watched from the deeper woods but they were left undisturbed if something did have eyes on them. There was also no sign of Luffy and despite his comforting thought of Luffy being their strong captain, Chopper intensely worried about the situations he got himself into sometimes.

 

They made it back to the Going Merry by mid morning and were met by Sanji, who was chain smoking against one of the thicker railings. His ashtray had been brought from the galley and had gathered at least a day's worth of ends.

 

“Our local demon ran off the ship,” Sanji said, his voice monotone; neither worried or angry.

 

“W-what?” Chopper asked as both he and Robin had climbed onto the deck.

 

“Must have done it while I was sleeping because I've turned over this whole ship looking for him.” Sanji let out a puff of smoke.

 

“B-but why?” Chopper held his backpack in hand which held the fresh herbs. “We might have found something that will help and he just ran off? What happened? Did he turn into a demon? What does he look like?”

 

“Oi, oi, one thing at a time,” Sanji said, looking tired, as though he hadn't gotten much sleep. “Look, he was okay until last night. He had some sort of a freak out before dinner and he hid up in the crows nest without coming down. This morning, he's gone.”

 

Robin tapped her chin with a finger, looking off to the wooded area along the cliff face. “You don't suppose he went to the island, do you?”

 

“We've got to find him!” Chopper pulled on his hat. They couldn't both have lost Luffy and a turning-into-a-possibly-soul-eating-demon-Zoro at the same time in some dangerous woods. “How are we going to help if he's not here?”

 

“First, I think we should calm down,” Robin said, forever patient. “It's not going to help if we don't have the curse ready by the time we find him.”

 

“Oh Robin, so wise and patient beyond her years,” Sanji praised with a smile but with a definite lack of flair than his normal self usually had. Then he paused, seeming to take in the whole of what Robin said. “Curse?”

 

“It's not a curse, it's a vitamin,” Chopper said promptly. Robin was right though. He had herbs to prep and powder. He'd feel better if Zoro was there to see if it worked right away, but first they had to make it.

 

Sanji made coffee for Robin and breakfast for Chopper in the galley, Chopper started meticulously grinding the herbs and measuring how much was going into each pill as Robbin filled Sanji in on what they'd come up with.

 

“An aphrodisiac,” Sanji said curiously.

 

“Yes,” Robin said with a nod and sipping her coffee. “We figured if the chastity bell was hindering Mr. Swordsman's ability to feed, then an aphrodisiac would enable him to feed until we are able to leave the island.” Sanji thought this over but frowned as he thought deeply.

 

“How is him taking an aphrodisiac going to help him feed?” Sanji asked. “He takes energy from other people.”

 

Robin exchanged a look with Chopper as he looked up and they both looked at Sanji. “Well,” Chopper said, “the vitamin isn't for Zoro, it's for who ever he's going to feed on.”

 

“Ah-Oh.” Sanji blinked, looking surprised. “Of course. Right.”

 

Chopper blinked. “Are you okay with it, Sanji?”

 

“Alright with what?” Sanji's face was tinged red and looked mildly uncomfortable, even as he was already pulling out another cigarette.

 

“Well...” Chopper looked to Robin, unsure if he should say anything.

 

“I think it's alright, Chopper,” Robin assured him. “This is an odd situation.” Sanji just looked more confused, so much so that he paused in lighting his new stick.

 

“We-we know you and Zoro are lovers!” Chopper said louder than he really meant to, throwing his hooves into the air. Sanji suddenly started coughing loudly and for a moment he didn't stop. Then Chopper saw that Sanji's cigarette had disappeared and his only logical action was to turn into his heavy point and perform the Heimlich maneuver on the cook so he didn't choke on his cigarette. “SANJI, DON'T DIE!”

 

Once Sanji had recovered from his surprise, he sat at the table and switched to a cup of coffee with Robin. His face was red, most likely from nearly suffocating and he hid his face between sips of coffee.

 

“Luffy was checking in on you after dinner one evening,” Chopper retold the tale, returned to his normal form and standing on the bench across from them. “He wanted a late night snack because he was going to be on watch but he saw you and Zoro kissing. He told the rest of us and we knew you two were starting to get over your differences and maybe found you were happy together.”

 

“It was Nami's idea to keep it quiet,” Robin put in. “She figured that when you two were ready to announce yourselves you would tell us in your own time. She forbade us from mentioning it casually. It's understandable that you two were working out details in your relationship.”

 

“But, we're...” Sanji was beginning to find his words, even though they were hoarse and confused. “You thought that I... and-” He stopped and Chopper patted his back.

 

“We wanted to wait until you came out so we could all say that we support you!” Chopper said cheerfully.

 

“But we didn't want to pressure you in case you were feeling flighty,” Robin added helpfully. Chopper nodded. He knew Sanji was always paying attention to the women, but Nami theorized that it was to cover up that Sanji wanted to give Zoro attention as well but that he was too shy. Chopper didn't quite understand why Sanji would have to hide it if he liked Zoro, and he had never seen Sanji be _shy_ before. But what ever his silly reasons, he wanted Zoro and Sanji to be happy, and if it happened to be with each other, then he was happy for them.

 

Sanji was quiet for a very long moment and he stared into his coffee. He chose his words carefully when he did speak. “You're... okay with the idea of me and Zoro... being in a relationship romantically?”

 

“Yes,” Chopper said firmly and Robin nodded with a smile.

 

“Oh well... good to know.” Sanji's voice sounded hollow, but Chopper wasn't expecting Sanji to be completely okay with his and Zoro's secret affair being brought into the open if he was trying to keep it quiet before.

 

“I thought it was a little poetic since Mr. Swordsman's lust needs seem to coincide with your sex drive,” Robin said after a sip of her coffee. “You two balanced each other out so well, it wasn't a large shock.”

 

“Oh well, thank you, Robin.” Sanji almost looked pained as he said it, but he said it politely. He cleared his throat as he gestured to Chopper's work station. Chopper quickly got back to it. “So this vitamin...?”

 

“Curse, actually,” Robin corrected. “It's supposed to be a curse that is bestowed upon a victim to draw incubi to them.”

 

“It's the closest thing we could find since Zoro is only half incubus,” Chopper said and waved his hoof. “But there's nothing bad in it. It's actually very good for your blood flow and joints.”

 

“Right...” Sanji rubbed the back of his neck and mutely volunteered himself. “So it should get my lust back?”

 

“If all goes correctly, yes,” Chopper said. “But this really isn't something that directly works on the libido. It increases blood flow, has anti-depressant qualities, as well as anti-anxiety. You might feel rather warm and you should be alert to everything around you.” Chopper quickly checked over the list they'd copied. “Although you might feel sluggish after a while. Not drowsy, per say, but it does call for a lot of horny goat weed.”

 

“Horny goat weed?” Sanji asked, looking rather unsure about that.

 

“It's just the name of the plant.” Robin assured him for Chopper.

 

Chopper finished his grinding in due time. He made five pills to start off with and put them in a labeled bottle. He then held it out to Sanji, who hesitated, but took it. The only thing they had to do next was find Zoro.


	12. Hunting the Beast, Becoming the Prey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji searches for the elusive demon-marimo, and it ends up finding him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You've all been lovely with your comments, thank you. I feel like this is a very anticipated chapter. *braces self for reveal*.

The forest was a thick mass of trees and Sanji cursed Zoro under his breath. It wasn’t even the first day he’d trooped through the forest, it was the second after Zoro’s little disappearing act. Why had Zoro wandered off anyway at a critical time like this? Sanji had all but turned the Going Merry on its head the morning after looking for him. He half expected Zoro to be deep in the hull where the pollen couldn’t reach him, but every corner where he expected to find a snoring marimo he just found empty space. It pissed Sanji off to no end.

 

Not to mention Sanji was actually _worried_ about him. Zoro wouldn’t say anything after he’d all but fled the galley after kissing his neck. It had felt nice… Sanji actually considered letting Zoro continue with the line of thought; maybe see how far he would let Zoro’s hands wander. Not that Sanji was feeling particularly frisky. It had been another frustrating day where he wanted to be but his body lacked real motivation. It was so odd not to have even a bit of lust on the brain after so many days. Sort of made his head foggy and wander off on stupid ‘what ifs’ that wouldn’t happen. So _maybe_ he was willing to take advantage of their solitude and _maybe_ he liked Zoro’s warmth on his back. He wasn’t exactly concrete on what he was willing to allow anymore.

 

Zoro had backed off so fast that Sanji thought Zoro had burned himself on his skin. Sanji wasn’t sure which was more wounded; his heart or his pride. Sanji told himself he should have kicked it out of Zoro that night but Zoro wouldn’t even _look_ at him. It unnerved Sanji so bad that he got fed up and decided Zoro could wallow in what ever he was going through; convinced he could get it out of Zoro after dinner. But he didn’t come down from the crows nest for dinner and Sanji was up with the moon waiting for him to come down. He left Zoro’s plate in the fridge for him, but it was still there when Sanji was up in the morning. He didn’t remember sleeping. Maybe he’d drifted off sometimes in his hammock or the galley, but sleep was not his friend that night.

 

But at that moment he was back in the woods after a decent sleep in town. The whole crew was looking for Zoro; _as well as their captain_. The first day’s search was with Chopper and Robin’s company. Chopper had made sure they each had a branch of chastity bell for precautions and they hadn’t seen anything while looking for their lost nakama. It was a deceptively large island with the winding hills and incline that lead to the mountain.

 

With the second day, Nami and Usopp were searching as well. They'd split up to look, so in the beginning he could hear them calling out, but now that it was mid day he only heard the noises of the woods around him. With Zoro’s sense of direction, it would be a miracle if they happened to cross paths. The bastard had no logic when it came to walking.

 

Sanji let out a frustrated groan and looked at the branch of purple bells before tossing it away. Chopper wasn’t with him to make sure he had it on his person. Really, did they really need Zoro to start sneezing to find the bastard? Zoro was probably avoiding the stuff like the plague. Crazy, stupid, demon, marimo bastard.

 

Sanji lit a fresh cigarette and took a long breath of smoke to ease his already wrecked nerves. He was over looking a downward slope of trees and green foliage.

 

“Damn it.” Sanji still couldn’t believe the whole crew thought he and Zoro were lovers. It was so messed up. Especially since apparently everyone was okay with it and were rooting for their happiness. He didn’t have the heart to explain the real reason why he and Zoro were kissing in the kitchen. The rest of them probably didn’t know that Zoro could take energy that way. He definitely couldn’t look into Robin’s sweet face or Chopper’s earnest, excited one to say that he and Zoro weren’t lovers. It physically hurt to even think about uttering those words to such supportive nakama; or even out loud at all.

 

Vaguely speaking of – Sanji took out the glass bottle that rattled gently in his pocket. It was corked with five red, round pills inside. Chopper mentioned it might be best to wait until they got Zoro back before they tried the pills because he wanted to be sure it didn’t have any unexpected side effects. Sanji had been thinking about it through the night and he figured that even with Zoro’s terrible sense of direction, he could smell Sanji’s lust. Even _Luffy_ could follow his nose to food. So, why not a cambion? Even Zoro couldn’t be _that_ … Sanji shook his head. No, he wouldn’t jinx his chances and try to assume any sort of miracle would come from Zoro’s sense of direction.

 

Sanji looked around the trees for something resembling a walking moss ball, but seeing none off hand he took a deep breath and yelled, “Zoro! Where are you, you shitty marimo bastard?!” He waited and listened for an annoyed response but only the sounds of birds moments later. He sighed, looked at the pills again, and dug out the cork.

 

To hell with it, he thought. The faster he took it, the sooner Zoro could have some energy to feed on. It had been 7 days since they came to the island and 8 days since Zoro had gotten any energy. He wondered if Zoro had grown gills yet or those horns that he’d wanted in almost 2 days time.

 

Sanji bit down on the pill like he often saw Chopper do with his rum ball and nearly gagged. It was bitter and earthy, but most of all, dry; like popping a wad of sand into his mouth. He grimaced, swallowed, and held his breath until saliva caught up with the dryness. Not the worst thing he’d ever eaten but far from the best. After the taste diluted into something more tolerable he gauged where the ship was, which was back from where he came; the west side of the island and down hill towards the water. So Sanji located east and headed uphill, towards the looming mountain and started walking. If Zoro had been trying to get back to the ship then he was bound to be absolutely no where close to the sea.

 

Sanji hadn’t consumed any more of the food on the island -trying to keep the chastity bell out of his system- and the others did as well when they understood the situation and what it meant for Zoro. They couldn’t do anything about breathing the pollen in town, but in the woods he couldn’t even pick up the scent of flowers anymore. It was moist earth and trees.

 

Chopper was right about him feeling warm from the ‘vitamin’. After 20 minutes of walking his skin was feeling more flushed than before and he unbuttoned his jacket. Then he loosened his tie and took a break on a large flat rock that was warmed in the waning sun. He tried to ignore Robin’s utterings of it being a curse and listened to the wind ‘ _hush_ ’ through the trees around him. The breeze cooled his face and tussled his hair. Sanji smoked through another cigarette and he just waited for several moments, wondering if Zoro was napping somewhere and ignoring him.

 

“Would be just like him,” he muttered and heaved a heavy sigh in frustration. He flicked the ash onto the rock. He didn’t feel more ‘lustful’ or anything so maybe it wasn’t exactly like ringing the dinner bell for a cambion. Though as Sanji stood, he heard a shuffle of dry leaves behind some thicker trees and he stopped to watch it. His heart jumped, mind assuming maybe the wandering marimo had just needed the time to catch up. “Come out, you shitty demon. You’ve been worrying everyone else for the past week as it is…”

 

What he saw was _not_ Zoro. Actually, his mind didn’t want to register what it was at first. His mind said it was a ram because of the horns on the head, but the face was that of a wolf. Sanji found himself looking slightly upwards at the face and blinked rapidly. It stood, sort of hulking there on two back legs, which were that of a sheep’s with hooves and all. The arms were more wolf like. It was bipedal like a human but it was clearly not a human. It was covered from head to hoof in grey fur and streaked with nearly iridescent blue markings like waves on the sea. It didn’t make a threatening move like growl or bare claws at him, but it did move towards him on all fours like some gorilla and part friendly dog. Its wolf nose was working over time, its blue eyes borrowing into him. Sanji took several steps back from it, bumping into the large slab of rock which he was already planning to use as stability for a long kick to the creature’s muzzle if it got one inch closer.

 

The wolf-ram stopped for a moment and then bore its teeth with a low rumble, large fangs that were expected for a wolf; but it wasn’t looking at Sanji anymore. Sanji’s hackles rose as a low feline growl came from above and behind him on the rock. Sanji took his eyes from one beast to another, but the second was more human sized and it took seconds for Sanji to recognize the green haramaki, mossy hair, black pants, and three swords that hung from his waist. But the rest… Black skin was covered in sharp jagged, green tiger stripes. Green hair spreading down his jaw, to his neck and bare chest. The nose was flattened to a more cat-like shape and the… the ears! Where ears were normally meant to be there were _bat wings_. They were open in full, as though to look more fearsome, but only slightly bigger than their owner’s hands. Then Zoro actually had bat wings on his back, also open in full glory. Though full glory was maybe too grand because they only were slightly longer that his own arms. Arms that were still human, but they had obvious black claws on each fingertip that rested on the rock. Zoro crouched strangely on the rock; not like a man, but more like a cat’s hind legs and… Sanji stared at the _tail_. The tiger tail who's tip twitched in preparation to pounce.

 

Sanji gasped as he took it all in, including some very glaring wounds that were already on one of Zoro’s shoulders and obvious claw marks around his chest and one of his shoulders. Zoro’s swords were still sleeping in their sheaths, even as Zoro took a powerful leap and landed on the wolf-ram. It quickly dissolved into a mess of snarling and wild fighting. It had just as much tact as a tornado and Sanji looked around for any other enemies only briefly, but it was hard to tear his eyes away from the fight. Even for Zoro’s standards, it was violent; not in the clean cut way that Zoro had honed but raw power. The wolf-ram chose to run after several moments of scrapping on the ground. Blood was starting to soak through the gray and blue fur in a moment of struggle. Zoro’s claws left raking marks in the fur just before it wriggled itself away, running on all fours with its bushy tail between it’s legs. Zoro panted heavily as he sat on the ground. He’d taken a few kicks to the stomach as well as more claw marks added red lines to his new green ones.

 

Sanji wasn’t exactly sure how he wanted to react. Zoro had warned him that he’d turn into a demon but… Sanji wasn’t expecting this. He was pretty sure Zoro hadn’t been either when they talked on the ship. Zoro finally moved from the ground and spat on the forest floor, which looked much like a wad of mostly fur that Zoro had bitten into. And well… a jaw that wielded a sword; Sanji didn’t want to imaging sharp teeth added to that jaw strength. Zoro stood on his odd back legs and swiped his arm across his face before his eyes fixated on Sanji, much like the wolf-ram had before. It wasn’t a smirk that bragged about beating the other creature away from Sanji, nor was it simply one of recognition. It was one that Sanji always hated to see on a normal basis; the yearning and slightly desperate look of hunger.

 

Sanji swallowed mutely, feeling much like the main course, but well, he guessed that Chopper’s pill worked. Next, Sanji tried his voice, “Hey, you…” In less than a few steps, Zoro closed the distance between them and silenced any questions by closing his mouth over Sanji’s.

 

It was far from the most pleasant kiss Sanji had gotten from Zoro thus far, mostly because it was a bit furry and the tang of blood made his stomach rebel. He knew it was how Zoro fed but damn it, Sanji was still freaking out about Zoro having bat wings on his head and those green stripes would not be ignored. He didn’t shove him away, he just ended up bracing himself against the rock that dug into his back at waist height. Sanji shut his eyes for several moments, maybe hoping that Zoro would just take what he needed, turn back into a human, and then they could go back to the ship with a tale of success.

 

Sanji gasped when Zoro pulled back suddenly and then gasped again, but the second time sharper when Zoro’s mouth was on his neck, sucking on his skin and his hands gripped Sanji tight by his hips, as though to keep him in place. Sanji’s face flushed, especially as a familiar rush of arousal tingled his skin; a sensation he hadn't felt in a week. Sanji did remember that Zoro had said he needed to be aroused to feed so he closed his eyes tight, trying not to think about Zoro looking like some odd half animal like some devil fruit users they’d bumped into. He braced one hand against Zoro’s pec, still feeling solid muscle but the skin was velvet, as though Zoro was starting to grow his own pelt. That would explain the black with green stripes. Vaguely he wondered how Zoro lost his shirt _this_ time.

 

Speaking of shirts, Zoro didn’t seem to like Sanji’s because he tugged the jacket from Sanji’s arms and didn’t get it even all the way off before he was popping buttons from his button down. “Hey!” Sanji snapped, shooting a glare at Zoro and gripped his wrists. “You don't have to ruin a perfectly good shirt-” It was far too late for the shirt because Zoro opened it with force, despite Sanji's efforts to stop it; now with several missing buttons, Sanji gritted his teeth. “Damn it, you couldn't wait _2 seconds_?” Zoro’s mouth didn’t stop to badger him back. Instead, a long stroke of Zoro’s tongue against his throat was an attention getter. The graze of sharp teeth even more so.

 

Sanji held very still as the hard enamel dragged across his skin. He didn’t honestly think Zoro would bite him with teeth like those. They fought all the time, but they were still nakama if nothing else. The teeth retracted and the tongue came back to sooth the area that the teeth grazed. At the same time a strange noise left Zoro’s throat, something feline but deeper, as though pleased with Sanji’s taste or something. Sanji shivered with the sound. It wouldn't sound out of place if Zoro was to do it in a smug situation, but then Zoro started undoing the front of Sanji's pants.

 

“Hey, hey,” Sanji said quickly and pushed his knee against Zoro's hand. He wasn't quite _that_ comfortable with Zoro touching him freely and Zoro was already pushing for some intimate territory. “You don't need to go that far, shitty demon.” Zoro didn't seem to appreciate being denied and he growled. He then gripped Sanji by the hips and lifted him from the ground, a surprised noise leaving Sanji's throat before he was set on the rock behind him. Not only that, Zoro shucked Sanji's pants down and off his legs so he could stand between them. “Holy shit, would you _stop_ a damn minute you brick headed idiot!” Zoro was clearly ignoring him because his mouth was back on Sanji's body, his tongue running down the center of his chest. Sanji's skin was already flushed and being aroused was an understatement with all the touching Zoro was doing. It had to be the vitamin that Chopper mixed up because each stroke of Zoro's hand and tongue made his body hotter and he felt he should not be as sensitive as he was to it. Having someone's hands on him always felt better than his own, but with Zoro looking part animal, he thought it was moving along faster than it was supposed to.

 

With being -rudely- propped up on the rock, Sanji got a good look at Zoro's back. His fingers inadvertently gripped Zoro's hair, which was thicker than normal and extended down his neck to his shoulder blades. It wasn't longer in the normal sense that hair grew, but more like it was becoming a short mane for a large cat. The black wings caught Sanji's eye especially. They weren't extended like before, but they still moved around with the shoulder blades. Right then they were folded like extra skinny arms against Zoro's back. They didn't look like they could actually lift Zoro's thick, muscle-dense body, but Sanji reasoned that this wasn't exactly Zoro's full demon form if Zoro was becoming something like that wolf-ram-thing. Sanji nearly choked on the idea because that thing had been bigger than Chopper's Heavy Point.

 

Zoro's mouth insistently sucked on one of Sanji's nipples and it made his whole body flush so suddenly that he let out a sharp moan. Okay, he'd never had someone do _that_ before. Zoro definitely picked up on the knee jerk reaction and he pressed the flat of his tongue against the nub, dragging up. Sanji swallowed down another moan because he wasn't as surprised the second time. With his sudden noise, Sanji had witnessed Zoro's bat wing ears flutter open slightly and he caught sight of the three long earrings in the left one where the lobe was supposed to be. The wings then folded back to something of a mock pointed ear shape and Sanji wasn't sure if they were fascinating or creepy as of yet, especially when Zoro lost interest with teasing his chest and he moved further down.

 

Sanji was well aware that he could kick Zoro away since he wasn't exactly being restrained. He could even lock Zoro's head between his thighs and complete a pile driver into the hard stone he was sitting on. Knowing he could felt odd. More or less for the fact that Zoro didn't ever leave himself open for that long for that sort of attack. He also knew that Zoro was essentially starving and apparently taking that pill _had_ definitely  rung the dinner bell.

 

“ _Orgasms taste better than anything.”_

 

Sanji's face burned when he remembered Zoro saying it with that mischievous gleam in his eye. He couldn't imagine why else Zoro was pushing so hard to press his tongue against Sanji's half interested cock at a time like this. He thought Zoro had insinuated that could feed on orgasms when they'd talked in the galley. The only part that was really delaying Sanji from moving towards that point was the fact that Zoro wasn't exactly himself and these weren't normal circumstances.

 

NOT that normal circumstances would ever lead to...

 

Okay, MAYBE normal circumstances would lead to something like this. But the fact was that Zoro wasn't completely in his right mind and he looked half animal. So Sanji wasn't feeling completely confident, even if Zoro's tongue was very wet and hot on his cock, and drew him to a swift hardness. Sanji buried his hands in Zoro's thick hair as his breath quickened. Unfortunately, he was acutely aware of Zoro's sharper teeth and that alone made him too wary to fully enjoy the experience when Zoro did swallow his cock. Long canines did not make for a relaxing time. He'd feel more comfortable in a sword wielding mouth that didn't have teeth made for tearing flesh from bones.

 

Sanji was momentarily distracted from flesh tearing teeth by the sound of scraping. More specifically the sound of claws raking across the rough rock. This was confusing, at least until he felt Zoro's clawless fingers pressing against his inner thigh. Oh, a considerate demon, Sanji mused dryly. At least Zoro was mindful enough to de-claw himself before touching more sensitive flesh. Though Sanji wasn't ready for that sensitive flesh to be the place between his ass cheeks.

 

Zoro had removed his shoes with his pants, so Sanji rammed his sock covered foot into Zoro's face, putting a leg's distance between Zoro and his ass, “Whoa! Whoa! You have to be human before I even think of letting you near there!” He snapped. He was not ready for full blown gay sex if that was what Zoro was looking for. If they were supposed to have a first time then Sanji wanted it to be better than mindless fucking just so a demon got to feed his incubus stomach.

 

A low feline growl came from Zoro and he grabbed Sanji's ankle. Sanji tried to pull it back, gripping the rock for leverage, but to no avail. Zoro was insanely strong on a normal basis. At present, Sanji's foot wouldn't even budge from the hand, and usually he could do more with less leverage. Zoro climbed the rock and Sanji realized Zoro didn't even have his shoes anymore. What crouched on the rock was the hind feet of a black and green tiger with un-filed black claws. The tail whipped around, agitated. Even the bat wing ears showed annoyance by opening low and fanning out.

 

Zoro gripped Sanji's thighs and flipped him onto his belly. It wasn't even a contest because Sanji didn't get a second kick in. Zoro's legs pinned his calves to the rock and Zoro's hand on his back felt more like a boulder pinning him down. His cock against the rough rock was definitely a turn off, and struggling didn't help. Cursing Zoro out didn't help either, Zoro just held him there, occasionally growling whenever Sanji gathered enough strength to move something.

 

Sanji was panting several minutes later with Zoro unmoved and he seemed to be waiting for Sanji to give up the struggle; which only made Sanji want to give a better kick to his face.

 

“Fucking demon.” Sanji finally relented and laid still on the rock surface. His pride was more than a little wounded because he knew he was more than a match for Zoro when they were fighting on the ship. So either Zoro had been going easy on him since they met or he was stronger as a demon. The former seemed unlikely and the latter was admittedly a little terrifying.

 

Zoro leaned over him and Sanji's heart thudded heavily as he felt Zoro's body match up with his. His hot thighs were flush against Sanji's. Zoro's hands moved to his hips and his mouth started leaving kisses on his neck. Sanji wanted to be stubborn against the onslaught but his body just picked up where Zoro had left off earlier; tingling with Zoro's kisses and reacting just as fondly to being squeezed in all the right places.

 

Strangely though... Zoro was not hard as he pressed against him. Sanji thought that was his imagination, but even when he gave a firm backwards roll of his hips to see if the theory was correct, there was just a grunt and no clues that lead to the fact that Zoro was enjoying this like he was. It was just another blow to Sanji's pride at the moment.

 

Zoro moved down his spine, body warmth leaving him, as he moved down, but his legs still pinning Sanji's; probably well knowing that they were Sanji's use of attack so he doubted Zoro had forgotten completely who he was. Then Sanji felt a hot, wet tongue slide between the cleft of his ass and his hips jumped; not in fear this time but because of the rush of heat he felt from it. His hand also jumped to his mouth because of the gasp he let out. This only seemed to encourage Zoro because Sanji's cheeks were spread and he delved closer to Sanji's hole. Sanji's breath hitched and he closed his eyes. Zoro was _not_ playing fair. There wasn't supposed to be an area on him that could set his whole body aflame like that. Zoro wasn't supposed to _use his tongue like that_. Sanji's legs strained under Zoro's weight for a few moment, not really to fight but to react to the new sensations coursing through him. Zoro thankfully let up on pinning his calves, allowing Sanji's legs to curl under him but Zoro kept a firm hold on his ass.

 

Sanji groaned and buried his face in his hands. He at least wanted to preserve some of his pride by not moaning every time that tongue dipped ever so slightly into him. He couldn't really stop his hips from moving against it though. It made waves of heat that reached his toes and fingers. Sanji braced himself against it and then even more so when Zoro adjusted and knelt behind him, a hand curling around his re-awakened cock.

 

Sanji was quickly losing the battle with his voice, which dissolved into heavy panting, muttered curses, and groans. The rhythm of stroking and licking got him into a lustful tizzy and he was moving with Zoro's guiding hand rather than against it. He could feel himself getting closer and Sanji relented to letting Zoro have him when it felt this good.

 

Sanji was on the cusp of coming, his teeth gritted and panting heavily. His one hand dragged across the rock in a vain attempt to ground himself; sheets of a bed or even dirt would be better than the flat rock they were on. It would have been even more helpful for when Sanji felt a spit slick finger slide into him. Sanji gasped, an undignified whimper leaving his throat and his body tensed up around it. It was far from unpleasant, it just added tightness and pressure to the whirlwind of heat. Especially when it pressed forward and deep in a shallow fucking motion; and that was it. Sanji's orgasm crashed into him, forcing his buried noises to the surface in one huge burst of a moan. It rang in his ears for several moments and his body was tense as his seed was spilled on the rock.

 

Zoro moved closer and Sanji felt him against his back, as though trying to get as much skin contact as possible. Sanji sweat slicked back was pressed against the velvet chest. Zoro's pelvis pressed nicely against Sanji's ass and his arms even curled around Sanji's on the rock so he could see the black fur and green stripes that decorated them. Zoro's mouth pressed to the junction of Sanji's neck and shoulder before he let out a low and pleased rumble. It was like Zoro was feeding via osmosis but Sanji's head was too cloudy to care in the after haze. His body finished convulsing and the tenseness of his limbs gave out, turning to jelly.

 

Zoro's arm curled around his chest to keep them pressed together and Sanji groaned, this time from exhaustion. “You better appreciate what I do for you, shitty marimo-demon,” Sanji managed to say clearly. He wanted to lay down and cool off because he still felt like he was on fire. Zoro just let out a non-committal noise that wasn't quite human, but it sounded like him anyway.

 


	13. What Does One Do With a Wild Cambion?

Sanji sat there on the rock for a good while. He had recovered from the sudden sexual onslaught by finding his pants, putting them on, and lighting up a cigarette. Zoro said nothing and just sprawled out on the rock like a lazy cat on his side, occasionally watching Sanji but not with as much interest as before. Sanji could joke that it wasn't much different than when Zoro was napping on the ship, but that wasn't quite true. Zoro didn’t show any indication that he really recognized Sanji; much less that they were nakama. Zoro was still lounging even as Sanji redressed, so it wasn’t as though he was being made to stay there. If this was the supposed demon Zoro had turned into, then he was pretty tame after a 'meal'.

 

“Well you don't seem hungry anymore,” Sanji commented after the long space of silence. Those odd bat ears perked and opened slightly as Sanji spoke and he decided they were still really weird. The whole thing was weird. Zoro said he would turn into a demon, but turning into a tiger-bat was not really what Sanji was expecting. Zoro's eyes were on him, but not in the constant glare that was usually in place. Sanji was having one hell of a time adjusting to the striped patterns all over his face. The fur was mostly black with stripes green, but also some grays, where there was normally white on a tiger. His green hair had grown down his face and neck, giving him an impressive tiger mane. His face was still mostly human except for that feline nose.

 

Sanji leaned his elbow against his knee as he sat and propped his chin in his palm, sighing out a breath of smoke. “Aren't you supposed to be turning human now?”

 

Zoro didn't even seem to register the question. He got distracted by scratching behind one of the ear wings and it looked like a good scratch too because his eyes closed and his neck stretched out. Even the ear wing stretched out.

 

“Alright fine, don't talk to me.” Sanji squashed the finished cigarette into the rock and observed Zoro a moment more in the day light. The sun was already threatening to hide behind the tree line so there wouldn't be much light to travel by in a bit. What wounds he'd seen at first glance on Zoro seemed to have healed themselves within a few minutes. Perhaps getting into a fight in the woods drained Zoro past his limit. There were imperfections in the fur pattern where his scar from Mihawk was. The paws hanging out of the pants legs where his feet should have been had scar rings where the idiot had nearly cut off his own ankles. Sanji made note of them, to assure himself this WAS Zoro and not some impersonator. The slight jingle of the earrings were also somewhat of a comfort.

 

Sanji finally slid off the rock when Zoro was done with his scratching. “It's going to be dark in about an hour. We should get back to the Merry and call off the search party,” Sanji told him. Zoro just yawned, showing off those sharp teeth and then curled up on the rock. “Oi.” He snapped his fingers and the ear wings opened at the sound. “Come on. I'm sure Chopper will find something to get your head on straight.” Zoro didn’t get up though, he just turned his head away from Sanji, as though he was going to ignore him. Anger gripped Sanji and he chewed on his cigarette a moment before he walked over to Zoro and promptly kicked his fuzzy ass as hard as he could.

 

A startled yowl erupted from Zoro and he landed on all four feet several yards away. Just because Zoro was a demon did _not_ mean he got away with ignoring Sanji. Zoro turned a proper glare on Sanji and a low growl rumbled out of him, baring his sharp teeth. His wings and ears were poised wide open.

 

Sanji scoffed. “I will _kick_ you back to the ship if I have to.” At least Zoro seemed a little more like himself when he was angry. Sanji could handle an angry Zoro, even if he was a demon. Zoro circled him, easily maneuvering on all four limbs since his back legs seems more suited to it now. It was so odd not to see Zoro draw his swords on him. The tips of the hilts dragged on the ground but it didn't seem to phase the demon. Sanji turned as Zoro circled in, keeping his eye on him. He was aware that Zoro was stronger, but he was sloppy as a demon. He'd observed it with the fight with the wolf-ram. It was a sad thing to say he could see where Zoro was going to pounce him from. It was easy to dodge and then return the attack by bringing the heel of his shoe down on his back with a satisfying thud.

 

“You're pretty pathetic as a demon,” Sanji teased and hopped back before one of those hands could grab his leg. Oddly enough, Zoro curled his limbs to the ground under him and snarled at him instead of coming after him again. His tail lashed about in the foliage and he fixated on Sanji with his nose all scrunched up to bare his teeth. If it wasn't such a tense moment, Sanji probably would have found the hackles of Zoro's mane and tail fluffing up very amusing. Zoro watched him, this time on guard and he waited so long in that spot that Sanji put his hands on his waist, relaxing ever so slightly because Zoro didn't move except for that swishing tail and the occasional blink of the eyes. Maybe Zoro wasn't feeling the time constraint that Sanji was. The sky was turning a dusty red before Sanji decided to take a couple experimental steps forward, which only made Zoro tense up more and hiss, like he was going to pounce. So he tried a few steps back so maybe Zoro would follow him back to the Merry, but even with his back turned, Zoro didn't move.

 

“What's with you?” Sanji asked. Zoro didn't just cower in one spot waiting for an attack. Waiting this long seemed like a non-verbal forfeit, which was never the case. He didn't believe he'd kicked him hard enough to seriously hurt him. Sanji stepped closer, carefully this time because he wasn't exactly sure what was going through Zoro's head. But he was getting the sense that this was not so much a squabble between crew-mates as it felt like a predator watching his prey. But even that didn't feel completely right.

 

Sanji leaned in, just far enough to put Zoro on edge and to his surprise, the wings on his back unfurled with a slap of leather and he leaped. But he didn't leap _at_ Sanji, he leapt _over_. Sanji turned to defend himself, but the next moment his breath was knocked out of him and he was on his back with a heavy tiger-bat on top of him. A large, strong hand was pressed into his throat and Sanji shoved at it with his own hands, trying to make enough room for himself to breathe. Zoro crouched on his legs, pinning him there with added claws digging into his thighs. Zoro was _heav_ y; not the usual weight of a man because Sanji had kicked the asshole before and he never felt quite so solid. He felt like he was being slowly crushed just by his weight. Sanji stared up at Zoro, who looked absolutely possessed by some wild beast. His ear wings were flared to their fullest, eyes contracted to thin slits, and he let out a bone rattling tiger's roar right in Sanji's face.

 

Sanji would never admit that any amount of Zoro's yelling would ever scare him, but for that long moment, Sanji was petrified that Zoro _would_ kill him and he wouldn't think twice on it. The struggle left Sanji and he stared up at Zoro. He could feel his heart thudding against his ribs and soon enough drumming in his ears. When he actually tried to breath again the hand still wouldn't allow air to his lungs. He squirmed and a breathless sound left him. It was an agonizing moment but then the pressure was released and he gasped for breath but other than that, Sanji laid there quietly to recover. Zoro seemed to relax with Sanji's submission, watching him intensely. Sanji hated himself for trembling but damn it, he did not want to be killed by Zoro, especially when he wasn't in his right mind.

 

Zoro climbed off of Sanji after several tense moments and Sanji felt his thighs tingle as blood finally started flowing again. He rubbed his throat and took several careful breaths, sure there would be bruises there later with how painful it was to breath. Zoro took several strides away for some space but Sanji didn't move to get up; his body still wouldn't allow it. Even when he told himself to stop trembling it only made it harder to stop. Though maybe it wasn't just fear but a startling realization that this wasn't the Zoro he knew. They couldn't hope to contain him on the Going Merry; he'd tear the ship apart if he wanted to. He'd given Zoro energy but he wasn't showing any signs of being himself. Leaving to go get the others didn't guarantee Zoro would be in the same area when they returned. For several minutes, Sanji just didn't know what he should _do_.

 

The sky turned violet before Zoro leaned over him again, looking curiously at him. It took a moment to register that maybe Zoro was concerned he'd actually killed him. He didn't come on threatening this time in any case. Sanji's body had steadied by that time and seeing Zoro's face just annoyed him. “What the hell am I supposed to do with you?” His voice came out a little hoarse and gummed up. Zoro seemed pleased with his verbal response and nudged his nose against Sanji's cheek, making a strange chuffing noise. Sanji was not ready for this odd switch in behaviors and it could be mistaken as affectionate if he hadn't just nearly been killed by the demon. Sanji shoved the striped face away with a hand. “What, you trying to apologize for nearly strangling me? I'm not forgiving you, stupid tiger-bat.”

 

Zoro disagreed because he invited himself to curl up next to Sanji, slipped his arm around his middle, and pulled Sanji against him before burying his nose against Sanji's neck. The rest of Zoro's body curled against him and Sanji was very tense for several moments. His skin warmed and his heart was thudding against his ribs. He could handle fights really well, but Zoro curling up to him, even as a demon, felt very hard to deal with. Zoro had never been affectionate towards him. The only times they really touched was when they were fighting. Kissing was another thing completely; short, limited contact and never lingering.

 

Sanji counted 20 of his own heartbeats before he realized Zoro was not intending to back off. His body relaxed on its own and he was tucked close with Zoro's limbs with the content chuffing noise being pressed into his neck. Sanji knew he should pull away because Zoro would never do this normally. Logic also reminded him that he was between a demon's claws; so to speak. One that had just been pissed off at him minutes ago. Though, Zoro was very warm and any previous embraces Sanji had in the past were long ago and vague memories.

 

Sanji shifted enough to be comfortable, such as folding his arm under his head to use as a pillow. “Don't get used to this or anything,” Sanji said, his voice thankfully steady. “I'm still mad at you. And this is a one time thing.” Sanji's skin tingled as Zoro left a faux kiss on his neck and he really did try to not enjoy it too much.

* * *

[ ](http://violethyena.tumblr.com/post/105076880792/i-drew-these-about-three-months-ago-for-my-fic-in)

A sketch I did of cambion-butt while I was writing this. linked picture leads to tumblr post trying to explain some drawing shenanigans.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really have the time or the energy to post pictures last time, but I did now. Nothing spectacular, just the ones that helped me work through the intricacies of his demon form. I went onto a little more detail on tumblr.
> 
> And on a side note, on the little bit of lore I did read up on cambion, they're supposed to be heavier than a normal person and may have trouble riding a horse. But I also took this to mean that they'd be more densely muscled because they're supposed to be super attractive. >.> I think that applies to Zoro in any case.


	14. Realizing Dreams Awaken The True Self

Sanji did not expect to fall asleep, but he woke up a little before the sun, his internal clock telling him to make breakfast for the crew. It was very cozy in his hammock that morning though. Warm and wrapped around him like a large blanket. A little too warm, actually. Sanji squirmed a bit and blinked his eyes open, halfway between digging into his pocket for his first morning cigarette and rolling over to get out of his hammock.

 

He realized in split second of consciousness that he was not on the Merry, or in his hammock. Zoro being a tiger-bat demon was not a dream as he’d hoped it would be. Said tiger-bat was still sleeping and his arms were loosely around Sanji’s middle. Sanji’s legs were encased between the two feline ones and he was facing Zoro, so he must have turned in the night. A familiar rumbling snore came from Zoro’s exhales, which was a vague comfort from a time when Zoro took naps on the deck of the ship.

 

Sanji stared at his face for a long moment before he slowly reached up a hand and brushed two fingers down the length of Zoro’s feline nose, from the bridge between his eyes to the tip. Zoro snuffled and jerked a little, but refused to awaken. Sanji knew it hadn’t been quite _that_ feline the day before. Nor had his mane looked so bushy. Sanji idly ran his fingers through the black and green hair under his jaw and tried not to be amused when Zoro’s head leaned back in a content feline groan. This was a serious matter and Zoro was _not_ supposed to be making cute cat noises. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or not, but Zoro also looked… thicker, or bigger. More tiger sized, he guessed.

 

“Shit,” Sanji muttered and pulled his hand back before sitting up, one of Zoro’s arms sliding into his lap. The hand looked more paw like that day and Sanji again muttered, “Shit,” several more times as he got up. Zoro was more cat than the night before, so he wasn’t getting any closer to being human. Zoro lazily rolled up, looking half dazed with sleep and a large tiger yawn showed an oddness to his jaw, where it was widening more for sharp teeth and bigger bites. “ _Shit_. Would you _stop_ turning into a demon? I already fed you. You should be turning back, damn it. That's how this works, isn't it?” Zoro’s ear wing twitched as he was spoken to and Sanji was given a mild head tilt for his frustration. “Stupid, tiger-bat. If you’d at least have turned into a marimo, I would just carry you back to the ship.” Zoro got up and stretched his arms out along the ground with his butt up in the air. Both sets of wings also stretched and they looked larger as well to match the body.

 

Sanji determined that he had to get Zoro back to the ship. He had to at least let the others know what was going on. Sanji sighed and snapped his fingers, gaining Zoro’s half interested attention. “Come on, Zoro.” He took a few steps backwards towards west, using a tone that he might for a stray cat. “Let’s go back to the ship. Chopper will be there. Usopp, Nami, and Robin too. And _hopefully_ Luffy.” Zoro sat on his haunches, watching him for a minute before he looked around. His one ear wing opened as a rather large bird sang in a tree and a tongue darted out to lick his lips. “No, no, not that way. _T_ _his_ way.” He snapped his fingers again but it had no effect on Zoro that time. Zoro looked more interested in catching that bird than he did Sanji. “Figures,” Sanji huffed, figuring Zoro was hungry for real food. Sanji was also a bit hungry. He could pick a few things from the forest that he’d seen on the journey there. He also had to feed the rest of the crew when he got back but they could eat in town if they absolutely had to. “I can feed you when we get back to the ship, but you have to follow me, or you’ll get lost again and we’ll never find you.” Zoro stood then, on his legs, and he was definitely taller than Sanji then, but he started walking in the opposite direction. “Oi, oi!” Sanji held his face in his hands for a brief moment before he quickly followed Zoro.

 

“Damn cat.” Sanji dug into his pocket for his cigarettes. If he had to keep an eye on Zoro, he was at least going to have a smoke.

 

Before finding his pack of cigarettes, he found the bottle of pills that Chopper had given him. Sanji stared at it a moment and as he lit up a fresh cigarette. He thought about taking another one. At least then Zoro had had interest in following him. But… Sanji certainly didn’t want a full blown tiger-bat trying to seduce him. It edged far too close to the realm of bestiality, even if it really was Zoro. He didn’t feel particularly lustful after what happened yesterday. He felt like he did the morning after being drained. Perhaps from the events of the day before or maybe the demon hadn’t heeded his oath to stay out of his dreams. Sanji didn’t remember any sexual dreams though. Maybe the pills were good for one orgasm?

 

What ever the case, it was unlikely that Zoro was going to follow him without a good reason. Sanji sighed and popped a second pill down his throat and covered the bad tasted with a grateful inhale of smoke. At that point he just didn’t want Zoro to go any further up the mountain.

 

Maybe 10 minutes of walking went by before Zoro stopped and his nose started working in the wind. Sanji watched him, having grown bored with the walk. He thought for a moment that Zoro had picked up something else’s scent. Zoro turned to Sanji and leaned down to press his nose abruptly into the crook of Sanji’s neck startling him. He made that strange chuffing sound again, rubbing his cheek against Sanji’s shoulder. It wasn’t quite like the last time where Zoro was starved –thank god- but it definitely had an effect to the cambion.

 

Sanji reached up and rubbed behind Zoro’s ear, more on a whim more than anything else. “You’re much more affectionate as a demon. Maybe we should just keep you as a ship’s cat.” Sanji couldn’t really say Usopp would approve of the idea, especially if Zoro started using the mast as a scratching post, but Zoro certainly had his tame moments as of late. Speaking of tame moments, scratching Zoro behind the ear and then under his chin seemed to be a key rubbing point because Zoro slumped to the forest floor on his back, arms outstretched as though looking for a belly rub.

 

Sanji couldn’t help it, he started laughing because of the terrible humor of the situation. Zoro, Demon of the East Blue, wanted a belly rub. It was something he thought Zoro would kill himself before ever thinking about doing. Said demon made a pitiful cat noise when he laughed for far too long and Sanji took a moment to catch his breath and will away the cramp in his side.

 

“If you turn human again, I’m never going to let you live this down,” Sanji told him and indulged the beast, giving him a vigorous belly rub over his green-striped gray belly. Zoro didn’t seem to care, he wriggled around some and his wings were wide-spread on the ground, making content cat noises.

 

Sanji paused after a moment when Zoro had gotten a satisfying rub down. “ _When_ you turn human again,” Sanji told him firmly. “You can’t stay like this forever.” His hands hovered on Zoro’s abdomen. It was still human-like but he was slowly starting to loose the chest scar under the lengthening hair. Sanji more or less ran his fingers over the memory of it and just barely found the uprise of flesh where it had mended. Zoro chose then to turn onto his side, as though that was enough rubbing and shook his head to presumably free his mane of dirt. His wings folded neatly and he looked at Sanji attentively.

 

Sanji stared back at him a moment before the took a few experimental steps back. Zoro got up on his four limbs and copied the steps, his swords dragging on the ground. Sanji nodded, satisfied and he started walking west, towards the ship. Zoro got up on his back legs then and started following him. Sanji let out a relieved breath, glad _something_ was going right.

 

Sanji thought they were making good progress into the afternoon. Sometimes Zoro trotted beside him or just behind. Sanji was confident that they could make it back before night fall. He could stave off his own empty belly with some wild berries and plants until that night if it meant he could get Zoro back to the ship. He mused shallowly that if Zoro did remain a cat for a bit longer than necessary, Luffy would have a rival for the meat on the ship.

 

The silence felt pretty deafening and Sanji sort of hated thinking along those sorts of lines. Zoro HAD to change back. Zoro wouldn’t be able to swing a sword soon enough if his hands became anymore paw-like.

 

“Chopper and Robin looked up a bunch of demon information,” Sanji mentioned, just to fill the air. “They’re bound to have found something that can help get you back to normal. And well… we’re already into the second week here, so I guess if we _had_ to, we could see if the next island knows anything.” He glanced at Zoro, who didn’t seem to be absorbing any of what he was saying. “If we have to take you to another island, I’m making you a collar with a bell on it.” Again, Zoro didn’t care, but it was such an amusing thought to Sanji. He might as well make light of the situation or else he was sure he’d be freaking out much more. “I wonder what you’d be like on catnip,” he mused but then rethought that over. “Well, do cambion react to catnip? Maybe not.” He was going to try though.

 

Sanji heard Zoro make a noise behind him and he stopped to look at the cambion. His face was all scrunched up and for a minute Sanji had no clue what he was doing. At least until a tiger-bat sized sneeze erupted from him and his wings flared up from the force of it. Sanji blinked and chuckled as he caught a whiff of chastity bell in the far distance. “Oh right, your allergies.” Zoro rubbed the back of his hand under his nose and turned away, taking several steps back. “Hey.” Sanji followed him, making sure to keep Zoro in sight. “We’re only a few miles from the boat. Chopper has medication for that.” Zoro didn’t listen. He walked until the breeze no longer carried the scent and he stopped and looked back at Sanji. Sanji sighed. “You idiot, come on.” He took Zoro’s hand and tugged but Zoro’s back claws dug into the earth and he did not budge one inch towards the town. “Come _on_ , we’re almost back to the Merry. Don’t you want to see everyone again? Don’t you want to come with us? You can’t become the greatest swordsman like _this_.” Zoro still didn’t budge and Sanji knew in this case he would lose if it came to strength. Zoro's perplexed face only made the situation seem more hopeless.

 

Sanji sighed, frustration simmering as he tried to figure out how to get Zoro to the Going Merry. Not only the frustration but he was already feeling warmed by the effects of the drug. He’d taken it hours ago and he was starting to feel something from it. He wasn’t exactly counting the effects it had on him through out the day, but right then he felt like it had jump started the process. He was tense, warm, and his sense of touch seemed heightened. Zoro hadn’t come onto him again, but maybe what he took the day before equated to what he did when he took in a kiss and he wasn’t particularly hungry but just following the smell of something tasty.

 

Zoro’s ear wings perked then, opening fully and he looked into the woods where they’d come from. The ears then folded close to the head in an aggressive manner and his nose crinkled as a snarl vibrated from his throat. Sanji stopped to listen and heard the sound of something tromping towards them with heavy set steps. The earth trembled a little with each step and the groan of breaking tree limbs pointed him at what was coming. Sanji stared and what emerged through the trees was a bear that was about the size of an elephant. It made a grunting noise, its nose sniffing the air in Sanji’s direction and Sanji’s jaw dropped.

 

“You’ve _got_ to be kidding me,” he said, strained at the thought that this too was a cambion. It was a weird bear. It had bull horns on top of its head and his brown fur was flecked with spots of orange. When Sanji saw more of it he saw its back half was part bovine abd the body bulked up with muscle. Zoro stepped between the bear-bull and Sanji, letting out a threatening warning growl at the new arrival. Zoro may have gotten bigger, but he was maybe the size of the creature's paw. The bear-bull didn’t seem to take too kindly to the threat and it rose up on its hind legs, nearly towering over the tree line and showing it’s full might before letting out a deafening bellow which Sanji couldn’t define as bovine or ursus.

 

Of course Zoro took it as an invitation to fight and leapt up to latch himself onto the beast’s chest to bite the thick hide around the neck. The bear-bull stumbled and Sanji looked for an opening because he was fairly confident that he could use a tree to jump up and knock the creature out. Instead, he witnessed Zoro get batted down with a massive paw and focus was back on him. But the bear-bull didn’t act like Zoro had the day before. It’s jaws were open, as though to swallow him whole as it dove for him. Sanji was NOT about to be an ACTUAL main course so he met the incoming jaw with a boulder crumbling kick, diverting the beast’s head from him. The bear-bull seemed dazed or surprised, but not knocked out like Sanji had hoped. Sanji thought briefly that the bear-bull was just as densely muscled as Zoro and that would present a major problem. His leg felt vaguely numb but he ignored it for the moment.

 

Sanji ran towards where Zoro was smacked and maybe he wanted to check to see of Zoro wasn’t badly injured. Instead, he saw what had delayed Zoro and he couldn’t help but stare. Zoro had landed safely on all fours, but he had stripped off his pants and haramaki; which included his swords. Zoro snuffed at the items, as though they were holding him back. His whole body was bare now, covered in the sleek black fur with stripes and Sanji's breath hitched because he looked like any other wild beast. The only glimmer of anything human was the earrings still dangling from one ear wing.

 

“What are you _doing_ you idiot!” Sanji snapped at him. “ _Use_ your swords.” Zoro ignored him and pounced on the bear-bull's face as it lumbered over towards them. The bear was more than three times Zoro's height and girth but it was clear that Zoro was still monstrously strong, even for a demon.

 

Sanji was going to jump in to make it go faster but he back peddled several steps as he was suddenly faced with another feline, taking close and intimate whiffs of him. Sanji took several more steps away to put distance between them. It was a cougar with great big hawk wings on its back. It was sleeker than Zoro but still taller than Sanji. The front arms were bird talons and the back half was the rest of the cougar. It's fur and feathers were sandy brown and streaks of yellow patterned it's fur. It reached out with its talon, maybe to touch him but Sanji was not okay with being everyone's meal. He kicked the cougar-hawk into the nearest tree and it reared around to hiss at him, which turned into a guttural yowl.

 

“Come and get it,” Sanji told it. “I'm in the mood to kick some feline ass.”

 

The cougar-hawk was swift and more solid than it looked, but Sanji brought it down, crippling one of it's wings. It probably hadn't been expecting Sanji to be such a tough dinner. Not to mention, after Sanji had turned down the 'polite' come on, the cougar-hawk had tried to take a bite out of one of his anckles. Nearly breaking its leg seemed to be the limit and it limped off at a jog to prevent further injury.

 

Zoro brought down the bear-bull about 3 seconds later with a tree shaking thud. Zoro looked pretty proud of himself and Sanji couldn't tell then if the bear-bull was knocked out or actually dead. At that moment he didn't care because he still had too much anger to vent.

 

“ _You_ ,” he said venomously. Zoro hopped off the bear-bull and his ear wings perked at Sanji's tone, looking confused. “What the hell are you doing?!” He gestured to the swords that lay haphazardly on the ground. Zoro glanced in the general direction but he still didn't seem to understand what Sanji was talking about. “You're a _swordsman_. What the fuck good is a swordsman without _swords_ , you stupid demon! Are you so fucking gone that you don't even remember what your goals are?!” Zoro blinked at him blankly, ears folded mostly because of Sanji's yelling, but he looked pretty lost on what Sanji was talking about. Sanji marched over to the spot where Zoro had been thrown and he picked up one of the swords, holding it up. Zoro followed him the few feet to the pile and watched him.

 

The white hilted katana was the one he held up, holding it out in front of him. That was the one Sanji remembered from way back on the Baratie. Back then he just thought Zoro was an ego bloated -and suicidal- maniac the way he went up against Dracule Mihawk. He remembered the scar on his chest when it was a fresh and fatal wound. He remembered the vow Zoro swore to the sky and his captain that he would become the best swordsman in the world. “You _can't_ tell me this isn't important to you,” Sanji said firmly. “You can't tell me you've forgotten your promises and you can't tell me you've forgotten about being a shitty swordsman.” At least Zoro seemed to focus on what Sanji was holding for the moment. “You were the one...” Sanji's breath caught in his throat and he struggled with it. “Damn it. _You_ were the first one that made me realize it was worth dying to find the All Blue. That's when I started _caring_ for a stupid idiot like you!” Sanji's voice hitched a sudden realization hitting him. “That's when I...” That's when he had really fallen for Zoro. “Oh, God...” Zoro leaned in, as though to see what he could do to calm Sanji down but Sanji, shoved his face away, anger being a much more favorable response than dwelling on when he had started the whole perilous affair of the heart. “At least get pissed off when I yell at you, god damn it!”

 

His hand jerked back in that moment, the katana jarred against a nearby tree, making it rattle and startling Sanji. Zoro too reacted because his ear wings flared out to their full extent and he stared at Sanji with a look of complete and utter offense.

 

Sanji stared at Zoro a moment and then glanced at the sword. Testing a hair-brained theory, he tapped the sword against the tree with the same amount of force and the ears narrowed in anger and Zoro shot him a glare, his teeth showing beneath his lips. Sanji felt, with a sudden smile, triumphant.

 

“What are you getting all worked up for?” Sanji asked and took a couple steps back but found another tree and tapped the handle against the trunk, earning a growl from Zoro. “A couple minutes ago these were probably just as good as wooden sticks to you, you grass headed demon.” One more tap had Zoro following him, around one tree and then a stale mate with a thick tree between them. Sanji handled the sword, not unlike a club, and held it horizontal to the tree that was between them. “Fine, you don't have to remember me, or the crew, but you _do_ have to remember yourself and your own dreams, shitty marimo.”

 

He put a lot more force into the swing this time, determined to really make it rattle, but it was halted by a hand on the hilt and a low voice sounded just as threatening as the tiger-bat counterpart, “Don't you _dare_ , cook.”

* * *

 

I'm posting today because [someone gave me fan art](http://violethyena.tumblr.com/post/105270956942/in-your-dreams-fanart-omg-i-was-not)

 

 


	15. Evanescent Memories

Zoro yanked his sword out of Sanji's hand, the rattling still rang in his ears and anger consumed him for a whirlwind of a moment as he checked to make sure Wado Ichimochi wasn't damaged by the damn cook swinging it around. How Sanji had gotten a hold of it was a mystery but he assured himself that he'd never let it happen again.

 

“You-you talked,” Sanji said, as though genuinely surprised.

 

“Of course I talk,” Zoro said and he wasn't sure what Sanji looked so _relieved_ about. He'd just... Zoro blinked and took a moment to collect himself as he held his sword in his hands. His memories were a wash of fog. He couldn't remember anything that was just happening or why Sanji was there in the first place. The last thing he remembered was defending himself against some sort of wolf-ram thing and he'd come out more injured than he planned. In fact, he didn't remember anything after it had attempted to take a bite out of him. The scent of his own blood was the last thing he really remembered before everything went dark.

 

Zoro looked at Sanji and oh god. Zoro's breath hitched slightly and his mouth watered. Sanji smelled ripe with energy and Zoro pressed the back of his hand to his nose. “Wh-when the hell did you get your energy back?”

 

“You... don't remember anything?” Sanji asked, that curly brow lifting.

 

“Remember what?” Zoro asked. Sanji just took a step back and with both hands, gestured to Zoro from head to toe. Zoro looked down at himself and he held his breath. His feet were… paws. His body was covered in black and grey fur with green stripes. He had a... tail, yep. Claws and his fingers looked half way between paw and normal. Bat wings... He paused and then slid Wado Ichimochi from its sheath to see his reflection in the blade and see his face. Weird ear wing things, deadly looking teeth, and he was disappointed that he didn't have any horns. He nodded in slight approval and slid Wado Ichimochi back into the sheath. “I do look cool as a demon,” he decided, but he wondered something. “Why am I naked?”

 

“Can you at least _act_ surprised,” Sanji sounded annoyed with him and stared at him with a slight glare.

 

Zoro assessed himself. He didn't feel as hungry as he'd been last time he remembered. He was hungry though, in both manners. He felt like he'd been fighting recently with the way his muscles were tight and in need of a nap. He looked around and saw the rest of his clothes, as well as Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri. He gathered his swords first and made sure they were alright. He was annoyed by the scuff marks on the tips of the sheaths, but other than that the katana themselves were undamaged. Sanji pulled out a cigarette and leaned against a tree to start smoking, but didn’t start offering an explanation of the past few hours. Zoro found his haramaki and it went on okay but looking at his pants and matching them to his waist, they didn’t look very comfortable. They looked too small and his thighs were too thick with muscle and fur. Instead he tossed them over his shoulder and glanced back at Sanji, who observed him carefully.

 

“What?” Zoro asked. “Quit staring at me.”

 

“I’m just making sure you’re you. Don’t hack up a hairball over it.” Sanji blew out a long stream of smoke. “Let’s just go back to the Merry. I’m hungry and I’m sure you are too.”

 

Since Sanji mentioned it, Zoro was feeling hungry, for more than energy for once. He took a couple steps and stopped, hackles rising. He got a distant memory of a burning sensation as well as his allergies filling his head.

 

“I can’t. The chastity bells are growing there,” Zoro said.

 

“What? Chopper has medication for that,” Sanji said easily. “You were doing fine earlier.” Zoro’s nose wrinkled.

 

“ _Fine?_ ” Zoro nearly spat the word. “I was not doing _fine_. I haven’t been able to breathe normally for a week. And last time we got close I thought my lungs were on fire.”

 

Sanji blinked at him. “I thought you didn’t remember anything.” Zoro blinked and thought over that bit of information. He didn’t exactly remember everything that happened at once, but he distinctly remembered the last time he smelled chastity bell it completely derailed him from following Sanji’s alluring scent. Speaking of, he also knew Sanji was a walking beacon of sexual energy for any other cambion in the area. Some primal logic melded into his consciousness, as though filtered by incubi instinct.

 

“I guess I can a little.” Zoro reattached his swords to his haramaki, having only a little difficulty with it because his fingers weren't as flexible as normal. “Besides if you go into town, I know you’ll lose that energy.” It seemed such a waste since Sanji was over flowing with it.

 

“So what? You’re hungry _again_?” Sanji asked indignantly.

 

“Yes, I’m hungry _again_.” Zoro copied Sanji’s ridiculous tone and folded his arms over his chest. “It’s been over a week.”

 

“Try yesterday.” Sanji snapped, looking impatient and flustered at the same time.

 

Zoro blinked. “Yesterday?”

 

“Are you part parrot now? Stop repeating me. Yes, _yesterday_ ,” Sanji said. Zoro frowned because he didn’t remember drawing energy from Sanji. Though that would explain why he wasn’t ravenously energy hungry at the moment.

 

“How did that happen?” Zoro asked and he watched the color in Sanji’s face rise.

 

“We’re _not_ talking about it,” Sanji said firmly, which only drew Zoro’s curiosity.

 

Zoro looked down at himself and scratched his collarbone, which had a mass of hair he hadn’t quite been expecting. “Did I look like this?”

 

“ _NOT_ talking about it,” Sanji said in a louder voice and huffed, “and you’re definitely not taking more energy again until you look more human.”

 

“So then we’re not going back to the Merry because I’ll start starving again,” Zoro stated.

 

Sanji drew out a bottle, which had a few red pills in the glass bottle. They rattled around innocently. “Chopper and the lovely Robin found something to help with that, so you won’t starve.”

 

“Pills?”

 

“A cur…” Sanji cleared his throat. “A vitamin. It’s an aphrodisiac, if you must know. If I just run back to the ship…” He paused, giving a hard stare at Zoro, suddenly sounding defeated. “You’ll wander off and get lost again.”

 

“I wasn’t _lost_ ,” Zoro said sharply.

 

“You’re _always_ lost.” Sanji told him. “I don’t want you getting lost again and I sure as hell don’t want you to turn back into a demon.” Zoro looked down at himself because he was pretty sure he still looked pretty demon-like; tiger-like. “Don’t bust your brain thinking about it. You just weren’t _you_ and I don’t want to have to deal with it again.”

 

“What was I like?” Zoro asked.

 

“You were…” Sanji stopped, thinking it over. Finally he smiled a little devilishly and said, “You wanted your belly rubbed.”

 

Zoro felt his face burn under the fur, startled. “W-what? Bullshit.”

 

“The truth hurts,” Sanji said, holding his cigarette close to his lips. “You were as tame as a pussy-cat.”

 

“Fuck you,” Zoro snapped, anger burning because there was _no way_ he’d ever roll over for a belly rub from anyone. Especially Sanji.

 

Sanji chortled. “Aw, is the kitty-cat angry? Does he want another belly wub?” Sanji teased between laughter.

 

Zoro adjusted his hand on Wado Ichimochi’s handle, a rumble coming from him that wasn’t quite human but it expressed his anger nicely so he didn’t mind it. “You want to fight, cook?” Sanji chuckled behind a hand.

 

“Don’t get your tail into a twist, tiger-bat.” Sanji placed his cigarette in his mouth and held his hands, fingers spread, on each side of his head. “Your ears.” Zoro paused and touched his ears, finding them propped open in a half cocked way and pressed close to his head. They mellowed slightly at their mention. They were going to take some getting used to. “So what, is that your demon’s cue for being embarrassed?”

 

“Shut up, stupid cook,” Zoro said quickly. He really _hoped_ he didn’t do something stupid like roll over for a belly rub. “We’ll hunt something down, you can do your job, and we’ll be fed.”

 

“That’s fine, I didn’t want to eat a bear-bull anyway,” Sanji said.

 

Zoro blinked, confused. “Bear-bull?”

 

Sanji showed him the bear-bull and Zoro though perhaps eating it would be something like cannibalism if it really was another cambion. Plus it was still shallowly breathing so it wasn’t as though it was just dead meat.

 

They moved away and into the forest, eventually Zoro tracked down a wild boar and with a quick hack of two swords it was down. They started a fire and Zoro fashioned sticks into usable spit and holders while Sanji walked off to get firewood and some natural spices to flavor the meat. Sanji told him to not start eating the meat raw before he came back and Zoro scoffed because he was sure Sanji was joking. Though while he was sitting there he did occasionally think about sinking his new teeth into the meat. But even with little supplies, Sanji’s cooking was generally something worth waiting for, so he just prepped pieces of the pig for roasting.

 

When Sanji returned, a couple slabs of meat were decorated in an array of herbs and the fire stoked with several more to smoke the food. The silent work was a short reprieve, but then they had to wait for it to cook.

 

“You don’t seem to be the only cambion here,” Sanji mentioned as he lit a new cigarette with the light of the fire. He sat haphazardly, one arm wrapped around his knee. “Not if the weird combinations of human-animals here is anything to go by.”

 

Zoro nodded. He leaned up against a tree that was nearest to the fire. He sat cross legged and the tree settled fine between his shoulder blades; where his new wings were. The wings didn’t seem particularly useful except for fanning the flames as he had started the fire. They couldn’t lift him, which he experimented with while Sanji had been gone. “I found one while I was sleeping; in the dream world. Sort of how I wound up in this forest. It was a blue wolf-sheep-thing.”

 

“Cheh, figures that’s how you got lost,” Sanji muttered and he savored his cigarette smoke before he blew it out.

 

“Shut up,” Zoro said, annoyance rearing up. It wasn’t his fault the real world didn’t work like dreams. He didn’t want to mention that a wound that would normally wouldn’t phase him dragged him into unconsciousness and the hungry voice inside reared up to take over.

 

“I think I ran into the same thing before you popped up,” Sanji continued. “He didn’t try to eat me. Wasn’t even really that aggressive. Well, not until you sunk your claws into him.”

 

Zoro could picture the wolf-ram clearly and some of that primal logic leaked back into his mind. “It was hungry, like me. Probably wanted to try to seduce you before it tried to eat you.” Sanji was quiet a moment, a grimace on his face.

 

“That explains a few things,” he muttered. “Guess the bear-bull didn’t care to wait.”

 

“In theory, if it ate you, it would have gotten all of your energy that way.” Zoro said. Even in the dimming light of the sky, Zoro could tell the color drained from Sanji's face at the thought.

 

“It’s creepy that you know that,” Sanji said and lifted his head to blow smoke into the wind, casually exposing his throat. “At least you didn’t try to eat me.” Zoro watched Sanji for a bit but didn’t mention that he nearly _had_ on the ship. He didn’t feel that extreme hunger anymore but he felt some guilt for nearly giving in. That being thought, his demon self hadn’t tried to eat Sanji?

 

“Does that mean… I seduced you?” Zoro asked. Sanji’s throat bobbed and his head lowered, but he didn’t meet Zoro’s eye. And if that wasn’t enough, he felt Sanji’s lust climb steadily. It felt like forever since he felt the comforting spike of lust while talking to the cook. Even though this was more like a rolling wave, differing from the usual sharp incline and decline. It rose slower and lingered longer than most. Zoro could only guess at that point that Sanji’s reluctant emotion was tampering with his lust or because it wasn’t just a fantasy; something physical had happened.

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Sanji said firmly.

 

Some dark ideas crossed Zoro’s mind and it took a moment for him to gather his wits. He still didn’t know exactly what he did as a demon so he could only assume the worst. His fingers gripped the fur on his thigh and he could feel his strange wing ears lower as an uncertain shame crossed him. “Did I… force myself on you?” He wanted to think even his demon side was above the act, especially when it came to his nakama, but he couldn’t be sure.

 

Sanji stared at him a moment, looking surprised, but he answered quickly, “No. No it wasn’t… exactly like that.” He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “You didn’t rape me or anything so don’t start thinking that. As if you could. You just, uh…” Sanji’s face was turning redder each time he tried to give a detail, but his throat seemed unable to translate what happened. Finally he settled on, “I knew you were hungry, so I let you do what you needed to so you’d be fed. You didn’t even… get hard or anything.”

 

Zoro relaxed slightly, relieved that he didn’t force Sanji into anything. Sanji still didn’t look comfortable about it though. Zoro could only assume he’d been too focused on feeding to do anything else, much less take pleasure in whatever they did. So if he didn’t just kiss Sanji, then he’d… encouraged the cook to orgasm? It was a good source of sexual energy. Zoro felt… oddly angry that he couldn’t remember it. Maybe even a bit jealous of himself because he had been wanting to taste that for several months now and when he apparently did sample it he couldn’t even remember? He never assumed Sanji would be okay with it. Sure he offered sex to Sanji before, but he knew the cook would never take him up on it.

 

Sanji was equally quiet for a long while and he burned through his cigarette, tossing the last bit into the fire and watching it burn. Sanji’s lust hadn’t diminished since being brought up and there was that tension that Zoro remembered from weeks ago. It was a mellow throb but still radiating.

 

“Your energy is just going to attract more cambion in the night,” Zoro mentioned.

 

“I’ll just have to beat in more heads then,” Sanji said casually and leaned over the fire to turn the spit and roast the other side of the flanks of meat.

 

“We’d get more sleep if you just let me take it,” Zoro said.

 

Sanji straightened up more as he sat back down and he folded his arms. “No.”

 

“What do you mean ‘No’.” Zoro frowned.

 

“No. I’ve already told you, not until you look more human,” Sanji said. “Especially with those freaking teeth you have.” Zoro grumbled, but it was about as good as arguing with Sanji about his dreams. “Besides, you ate yesterday.”

 

“It’s not like I remember eating yesterday,” Zoro muttered.

 

“Well you did. And yesterday you also looked more human. So maybe since you’ve got your mind back, you’ll start to look more human tomorrow,” Sanji said.

 

“Fine, but I’m not protecting your ass all night,” Zoro said

 

“I never asked you too, marimo-cat.” Sanji looked annoyed which only pleased Zoro. Though the marimo-cat comment equally annoyed Zoro.

 

Before he could retort on the subject, he heard the rustling of the forest, as though someone was approaching. His ears opened to listen carefully and he sat in a crouching position, his hand resting on his swords. Sanji stood and faced the same direction he was but it was maybe 2 seconds later did the noise become loud enough for him to really hear because that’s when leaned back and braced up for another fight.

 

“Meat~” A pitiful voice said just before Luffy came through the trees. Both Zoro and Sanji dropped their guard, between annoyance and relief. Luffy was holding his hat to his head and his face lit up with a huge smile as he saw them. He had a backpack, presumably the one he’d left with Sanji’s lunch box. “Sanji! Man I'm glad to see you. I’m hungry!”

 

“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.” Sanji sat back down at the fire. “There’s plenty of boar here for you too.”

 

“Yes!” Luffy jogged over to the fire and then stared at Zoro for a long moment, distracted from his journey for meat. “A cat… bat-cat.” Zoro rolled his eyes.

 

“It’s me, Luffy.”

 

“Whoa! It talks!” Luffy jumped, eyes wide. “And it sounds just like Zoro!”

 

“That **is** Zoro,” Sanji assured him and at least Sanji looked amused when Luffy started poking Zoro in the ear. It was much less amusing for Zoro and he batted away Luffy's finger. That didn't exactly detour Luffy as it moved him on to other areas.

 

“It’s so weird!” Luffy said excitedly and Zoro endured only so much poking before he got their captain in a head lock.

 

“So where have _you_ been for the past week?” Sanji asked about the time that Zoro released Luffy from the head lock. Luffy had proceeded to drool over the meat that still cooked on the fire and Sanji smacked his rubber arm away when he tried to grab one of them.

 

“I climbed the mountain,” Luffy said, somber from being derailed from eating. “I got up there eventually… but I forgot a coat so it was _really_ cold.” Zoro shook his head. Of course Luffy forgot that. “But there were these really awesome people up there and they gave me one and they had good food.” He paused and pulled off the backpack before pulling out a furred coat. He grinned as he stuffed it back into the pack. “They were also a lot of fun. They had some weird animals, but lots of singing and dancing!” He then pouted and poked his fingers together. “No one wanted to be a musician on the Going Merry though.”

 

“We don’t need a musician,” Zoro grumbled but he went ignored by the captain.

 

“Anyway, it was _way_ more fun than Piety,” Luffy said. “So I thought I’d take everyone up there until the log post sets.”

 

Sanji let out a long breath but then asked, “Did they have any chastity bell there?” Luffy shook his head.

 

“No, I haven’t seen any of that since I went exploring,” Luffy answered and looked back to the meat longingly. Sanji snapped his fingers and got Luffy’s attention back.

 

“Since you’re going to get the others,” Sanji said, speaking slowly so Luffy could keep up, “let them know I found Zoro.” He cleared his throat. “In fact, by the time you get back the meat should be ready.” Luffy’s eyes lit up excitedly. Sanji pointed him in the direction of town and sent him off with the promise of a second helping when he returned.

 

“Sure he won’t get lost?” Zoro asked and Sanji scoffed, going back to the remaining boar.

 

“He can sniff his way back here with little problem, unlike you.” Sanji said and Zoro rolled his eyes. “Now get off your lazy ass and help me butcher the rest of this pig.”

 


	16. Walk the Line of No Return

Not only did Luffy return within the hour, he also brought the rest of the crew. They all were fascinated with Zoro’s strange new form, especially Chopper; most likely since he was no longer the only one of the crew who had different animal forms. Though with Zoro being a predator, Chopper also seemed more nervous around him at first glance. Zoro was not used to the attention so he just answered all of their questions as quickly as possible and begrudgingly flapped his wings for the other boys’ amusement. Sanji only filled in scant information and left out anything intimate that had happened; even less information than he’d shared with Zoro.

 

Chopper verbally questioned how to turn Zoro back into a human form and Robin assured him they could work on it another day since Zoro seemed clear minded and healthy besides his obvious feline and bat attributes. Nami mused lightly about having a ships’ cat, but Zoro _being_ the ships’ cat was ridiculous. Usopp and Luffy asked Zoro stupid questions, such as: Did his ears help him fly? Did he purr? and Did they need to get a litterbox for the Merry now? Zoro answered them all, especially Luffy’s ridiculous last one with resounding ‘No’s. Finally they all shut up when Sanji announced food.

 

When they had exhausted all inquiries about Zoro’s new form their attention was drawn back to Luffy’s new expedition to the mountain to meet the tribe of people that settled there. Nami made the plans mostly with Sanji and Robin; supplies and gear were needed so as not to freeze when they got up to the snow cap. Zoro, finally having some peace, laid down just outside of the firelight and closed his eyes for a nap that he was in desperate need of.

 

The dreamscape was quiet and at first; no one else slept. They were far enough from Piety that he couldn’t find the town in his area. He did however find a bear-bull wandering around at one edge. They exchanged a look which was enough to have the other cambion lumbering out of his territory. Or at least, his dream territory. Zoro stayed alert in his dreamscape for a while, but since nothing was happening for the longest time, his own dreams started seeping into his mind. It wasn’t like he didn’t have them. In fact, he got better sleep when he did allow them to take over his unconsciousness. But that night he shook off the lingering fog of dreams, feeling the need to be aware.

 

Soon enough, his nakama also joined him in dreamland; their clouds formed as quick as they fell into deeper sleep. The first was obviously Luffy’s; with strange adventurous images of mountain climbing and dancing with baboons, tanuki, and also a kappa around a hot spring. Zoro only entertained himself there for a bit and found the others drifting off. They were all lustless, but content. Considering they had been in Piety not hours ago, he wasn’t surprised. Most of them lingered with thoughts of what the mountain people would be like that Luffy described in vague detail. Luffy really seemed charmed by who ever was up there so it was no wonder that the dreams were mostly pleasant. Usopp’s had a mountain voyage with a floating Going Merry and about 8 thousand mole people following up the side of a mountain. Nami’s incorporated a hot spring made of gold and being served sweets. Robin’s was one of possible cultures that could be there and they looked like really hairy humans with cave dwellings but somehow they held a wealth of information that Robin seemed to be enjoying. The adventures of super-doctor continued in Chopper’s mind as he flew to the top of the mountain where medical tents were set up and he was helping anyone with temperature related issues. Though there were no people, the patients looked more like regular animals. Sanji…

 

Well, Zoro didn’t look in on Sanji’s dream but he was tempted to, per usual. His dream cloud made all of Zoro’s fur stand on end. It was like a hum of charged electricity was just beyond his reach. He sat and watched it for a bit and in that time, he realized it was stupid to pine for it. It was just like when he was awake. Sanji was right there, vibrant and warm, but the sky would fall before Sanji ever _let_ him in.

 

He felt a physical bump against his back and Zoro’s eyes opened, weary for a moment. He lay mostly on his side, but because of his strange new body, he laid like a cat, half curled with his tail curled around him and his arms as a pillow. He was turned onto his chest enough that he wasn’t squashing his wings. He looked behind him where the bump had come from and stilled, finding Sanji seemed to have rolled onto his back in his sleep and his arm rested against the back of Zoro’s ribs. Zoro quickly laid back down in the opposite direction. The last time they’d laid near each other, Sanji woke up and started screaming his head off about him not being Nami. Zoro had to be amused by it now since the cook had nearly kissed him in his sleep. The only reason he’d woken up slightly before the cook was because Sanji had still been in a sleep haze while Zoro had been promptly dropped out of the dream.

 

Sanji was asleep at that moment and he shifted, curling his chilled fingers into Zoro’s back fur. Zoro laid very still and had vague thoughts -or were they memories?- of tucking Sanji close to his body to shield him from the chill of the night with the primal sense of protecting both prey and mate.

 

‘Prey’ was a strange word but he could tell it was from that demon mentality. It seemed to be one without a concept of nakama or honor. The simple rule of survival of fittest without attaching value to things like emotion or goals. Prey was people, whether it be their flesh or energy. Mate was a worthy comrade for companionship and physical intimacy.

 

Even now the primal mind wanted to edge in but Zoro squashed it away, not wanting to fall back into it so quickly after regaining himself. Sanji might be ‘worthy’, but Zoro knew Sanji was not his ‘mate’. Sanji made that very clear that it would never happen so Zoro had a strict line that he did not allow himself to cross. But he had a feeling that the demon had run far across that line and never even looked back at it while it was running the show.

 

Zoro let out a long sigh and closed his eyes to go back to sleep. Though, since Sanji was just under his folded wing and he could probably fake that he was not in complete control of them while sleeping, he opened it and let it drape over Sanji’s chest. To Zoro’s silent enjoyment, Sanji seemed to curl into it like a blanket and settled back into sleep.

 

Zoro drifted back to sleep as well, though his night was mostly keeping a certain wolf-ram and cougar-hawk away from his dream territory; and Sanji’s dream.

 

-

 

It only took them half a day to clean up, retrieve coats from the Going Merry, and keep Luffy on track to going up the mountain. Their captain's trail upwards was haphazardous at best but since he'd mentioned the people lived in the slouch of the mountain, they had a general direction to head in. Zoro was able to secure his long black coat around his body, even if his wings were cramped. It wasn't like he was using them to fly anyway.

 

“At least you look a little more human today,” Sanji commented as they were halfway to the top. The crew had been following a spiraling trail upwards once they reached a more rocky landscape. They hadn't reached snow yet, but the wind was strong and Zoro's ears were pinned to his head.

 

“Eh?” Zoro had heard, but he hadn't sensed a difference from the day prior. Somehow he and Sanji were more ahead of the others on the path so they stopped to wait for them to catch up.

 

Sanji took Zoro's hand in his, looking oddly pleased. The cook had been in a much chipper mood all morning. Zoro assumed it was because Nami and Robin were with them again. Sanji certainly didn't say anything about waking up with a wing over him; nor had Zoro. “They're more like hands than paws,” Sanji said, “and you're back to being my height.” Their hands warmed each others' for a brief moment before Zoro shook Sanji's off and placed it into the pocket of his coat.

 

“Guess things are getting back to normal,” Zoro said and tried to ignore the pained look on Sanji's face, mostly because Sanji had no reason to be upset by him keeping his hands to himself.

 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Sanji said as a poker face settled into place. They stood in the quiet for several moments and it felt strange. No petty insult or jab. It was sort of awkward and it stressed Zoro enough that he felt a bit guilty for pulling his hand away so fast. He'd rather Sanji be annoyed with him than be in this sort of mood.

 

“So when do I get fed again?” Zoro asked and that immediately creased Sanji's brow.

 

“Is that all you think about?” Sanji asked angrily. “ _Feed me. Feed me._ Like some stray cat. Can't you wait until we get some quiet time. The others are just around the bend.”

 

“We _could_ have kissed after you sent Luffy away but _you_ wanted to delay it,” Zoro told him.

 

“I told you to wait for today.”

 

“You said when I looked more human. It wouldn't take that long.”

 

“Says _who_?” Sanji asked, as though offended. “How am I supposed to get in the mood with you looking like a cat?”

 

“I don't know, think about what you usually do when you get into the mood,” Zoro said. He suspected it was a boob-fest in Sanji's head but he never asked for clarity on the situation.

 

“Stupid bastard,” Sanji gave him such a venomous look. “You don't understand a damn thing.” Zoro frowned. It was easier having Sanji ticked off at him, but he wasn't quite expecting the cook to be _that_ easy to ruffle since they'd been having a good morning. Well, perhaps Sanji was right, he didn't understand. He didn't get a lot of the reasons Sanji did things because they seemed like really stupid reasons to him.

 

“Probably not, since I'm not a perverted cook like you,” Zoro told him. “You did just fine before.”

 

“Well believe it or not, my lust does not have an on/off switch for you to play with,” Sanji said and Zoro scoffed because that was just a bull headed lie. He could name several triggers that piqued Sanji's lust, even some that he knew Sanji would never admit to. Sanji did not react to Zoro's sound of disdain because the others rounded the corner and it was unspoken that they dropped the subject of his energy feeding with the others around. Even if he'd told the rest of his nakama what he was, it didn't mean he paraded kissing the cook. It was private, especially since Sanji was so touchy about the issue of them both being men.

 

The rest of the walk Sanji seemed fed up with him and started following Nami and Robin more closely. Zoro huffed in annoyance, hoping everything went back to normal soon. Simple and uninhibited by Sanji actually being decent towards him.

 


	17. Demons of the Mountain People

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS, have some pent up emotional reactions and regret for desert.

Finally by that afternoon they made it to the shadow of the mountain's curl, which Zoro mildly mentioned it looked like a certain cook's brow. They fought over that for a brief moment before Luffy started greeting the inhabitants that slowly popped up when their captain called out to them. They weren't hairy cave dwellers, animals, or strange mythical beings; not at first glance anyway. They looked normal enough and several greeted Luffy and his crew with enthusiasm.

 

There wasn't really a set town like Piety where houses were set in neat rows. In the inclining curve of the mountain was a large alcove cave where they were shielded from the wind, snow, and sheerness of the rocks. There were maybe two or three actual wooden buildings in the place and the rest were tents that were more for privacy than shelter. With the large cavernous walls protecting them from the weather, they didn't seem to need heavy duty houses. Though the people also seemed more communal than the ones of Piety. Not that Piety wasn't at peace with friendly neighbors, but the mountain people seemed more tribal in the way that they emerged from their places and curiosity was followed by excitement at the news of new people.

 

Chopper was surprised that he and Zoro didn't startle the people there. Though he quickly learned that at least half the people there were cambion. Some were even in their strange demon form. There was a purple and tan fox-deer trotting around, as well as a red and white dog-rabbit that mostly followed everyone about. Most looked like normal human beings though.

 

The community of people were collecting items for a bonfire. It was apparently a nightly affair that gathered almost everyone for social exchanges and to chase away the cold. Luffy was eager to help and several of the others started helping; to chop wood that was brought from the forest, prepare food for cooking, as well as other menial tasks. Chopper found himself drawn to one of the old women who was grinding familiar herbs and he ended up watching her work the native ingredients. He recognized half of them went into making the vitamins he'd given Sanji. Robin lingered by Chopper and her sharp eye also recognized the ingredients.

 

“A curse, huh?” The old woman had a cackly laugh as Robin mentioned it. “Well here we just call them seasonings. It helps feed everyone, and not just the belly.”

 

“Like Piety uses the chastity bell in their foods,” Robin thought aloud.

 

“Much the same,” the woman agreed. “None of the cambion can go there because of it.”

 

“Then it's a species related allergy,” Chopper mused.

 

“I suppose you could call it that. Being demons, there are of course things that people use to ward them off. It's worse the more demon they are.” The old woman paused, looking at chopper. “Were you not affected, little one?”

 

“Oh, I'm not a cambion,” Chopper said earnestly. “I ate the Human-Human Fruit.”

 

“Ho-Ho, I see,” the woman said and patted his hat. “Then did that cat-man eat some devil fruit as well.” She gestured to Zoro, who had been volunteered by Sanji to help lift and move crates. Sanji himself had volunteered to help with the food preparations.

 

“Zoro is actually a cambion,” Robin assured her. “Also this is the first time we've seen cambion besides him.”

 

“Ho-ho, like-wise we don't get many foreign cambion here,” the old woman said. “Everyone here has been born from the incubus of the mountain.”

 

“So there IS a demon on the mountain,” Chopper said with awe.

 

“There are many demons here,” the woman took a moment to cackle and smiled widely. “But I suppose yes, there's a demon here that still makes more little half demons.”

 

“Enough demons that they're inhabiting the forests as well?” Robin asked. Sanji and Zoro recounted the events of the previous day and had informed them that there were indeed monsters in the woods.

 

“Eh? Ah, did you run into a few hungry beasts?” she asked. “Seems as though you're strong enough to live through facing a feral cambion.”

 

“Well we had chastity bell so we didn't personally meet them, but our nakama did,” Chopper explained. “Is... is it normal for cambion to be like that.”

 

The old woman's tone sobered slightly to a sad one, “Ah, well, there is often one stage or another when a cambion falls to natural greed and bloodlust. Usually when they're young. They start taking too much energy for themselves or they find the idea of actually eating someone far too appealing.”

 

“Zoro went hungry because we didn't know there was anyone here on the island besides Piety,” Chopper said and felt a little guilty.

 

“We did what we could with the provided information,” Robin said simply and patted Chopper’s shoulder. “Everything turned out alright.”

 

“Doesn't seem feral,” the old woman assessed Zoro from afar. “Rarely does anyone go feral just by going hungry. As long as he has a good grasp on his humanity then there's nothing to worry about. When one of the cambion become a problem here, several of the others herd them off the mountain until they're ready to cooperate with the way things work around here. Normally, in time, they'll come back to themselves and submit to the rules so they can feed on energy again.”

 

“Cambion have their own rules here then?” Robin asked curiously.

 

“Very much so, yes.” The old woman nodded. “Cambion are quick to organize among themselves who belongs to who when it comes to energy. There's always some sort of hierarchy going on. Several cambion choose one human as a companion and sole food source.” The old woman chuckled. “Younger ones are more fickle, but if you cross a bonded pair there's bound to be trouble. There usually aren't many squabbles, but when there are, they tend to be... well, animal-like in nature. It's all about territory and dominance.”

 

“Sounds dangerous,” Chopper said.

 

The old woman cackled. “Ho-ho, well I suppose when I keep talking about when they get themselves into trouble, of course. But normally they're very laid back, social creatures, and very friendly. They're also outright hedonists. Not only for the obvious, but good food, good music, and good times. Jokers, pranksters, and charmers, as I say.”

 

“So, would you say a stoic personality is normal for cambion,” Robin asked and the old woman snorted at the idea.

 

“As stoic as a clown,” she replied. “It's quite difficult to make a cambion angry usually.”

 

“Zoro's an oddity then,” Robin mused and Chopper agreed fully with one firm nod.

 

-

 

Zoro huffed as he was given moving duty, but so was Luffy so it wasn't completely like Sanji had singled him out. Luffy also didn't seem bummed out because he seemed to be anticipating a fun time in the near future. The cave certainly was a bustle of people as night approached. They weren't too different from Piety in looks, but there was certainly more energy. There were actually children running around and a ruckus was going on with the local trouble making teenagers. Where Piety had nothing, the cave had an abundance of lust that he'd felt as soon as he'd entered. It was like stepping into a busy market full of perverts and deviant idealists. He never considered that a bad thing then he had to feed; he did, in fact, find himself less anxious about when Sanji was going to allow him to feed. He knew innately that even if Sanji refused him again, he could be satisfied with a short nap in the area.

 

Zoro and Luffy helped several of the men move several heavy things closer to the fire, such as ale, firewood, and other supplies that were going to be distributed during the gathering. Zoro was looking forward to the ale, which one man informed him was imported from another island.

 

“Then you run into the cambion in the woods,” Zoro asked when most of the work was done.

 

“Eh, they don't bother us much as long as we go in packs,” an old man said. The old man wasn't just overseeing the operation but also moving items from storage to the far wall with a fair amount of strength. He'd complimented Zoro heartily when he moved 3 barrels of ale at the same time; not to show off, but the faster they were moved, the sooner he could drink it. “I did it more in my youth, back when transforming was easy.”

 

Zoro blinked curiously at the old man. “You're a cambion too?”

 

The old man laughed. “Haw-haw, yes-sir, youngin. I might not be so spry anymore but I used to court all the ladies in this cave.”

 

Zoro was quiet a moment. He'd seen other obvious cambion in the cave area, such as the fox-deer and dog-rabbit. They were tame looking and Zoro wondered if it were possible to change his form without losing his mind or if those particular ones were naturally tame. “Can you change forms at will?” He knew Chopper could, but he was a devil fruit user.

 

“Eh? Of course.” The old man pointed to Zoro's current half way form. “Aren't you in the middle of it yourself?”

 

“This wasn't voluntary,” Zoro said. “Never learned much about it except how to feed it.”

 

The old man scratched his head. “S'not so difficult. We usually teach the youngin's about the time they start feeding on energy. The old man scoffed. “I thought ones that didn't know better would be permanently feral.”

 

“Obviously I'm not,” Zoro said.

 

“Well you are a bit serious faced, so who can tell?” The old man laughed again and slapped Zoro's shoulder. “Well, this old codger will teach you the ropes while you're here.” Zoro blinked but he nodded. Learning to control the tiger-bat form would be a big help. They still had several days until the log post was ready.

 

Luffy moving several boxes at once seemed to distract the old man and again, he laughed. “Haw-haw! For a guy with no lust he sure is strong like you. Maybe he's just a different kind of demon.” Zoro smiled a little.

 

“No, he's all human,” Zoro confirmed. Speaking of humans, his eyes drifted to where the firewood was being stacked in a large pit, where Sanji seemed distracted from his job of helping with food by several young women. Actually, Zoro had noticed how much more popular Sanji was than the rest of the crew as they entered the cave. Most likely because Sanji still had a substantial wealth of lust. Zoro's eyes narrowed as he saw Sanji being his heart-eyed 'charming' self as several of the lovely women flocked to him. He tried not to be annoyed by it. It wasn't really his business who Sanji slept with. He could usually shrug it off well in any other town but it was extra grating right then. Unlike the polite women of Piety, these women, -and several men- were eying Sanji with a very hungry look.

 

“He's a vibrant one,” the old man said casually and Zoro mildly realized he was no longer the only one that could sense Sanji's lust anymore. Zoro frowned at the scene and his tail twitched in annoyance. “He yours then?”

 

“What?” Zoro asked, startled enough to look away from Sanji and to the old man.

 

The old man gestured to Sanji. “He's from your crew. I supposed I sort of assumed he's yours by the way you're growling.” Zoro held his breath, realizing how much this form gave him away with all the subtle movements and sounds. “Better let them youngin's know he's yours or they'll swipe him up.”

 

Zoro didn't have a reply. First because of the assumption that Sanji was 'his' and then the fact that every cambion's head, including his, turned towards Sanji after one of the women whispered something in his ear. That unmistakable spike of lust seemed strong enough to fill the whole cave and it tore something in Zoro. He didn't really care how obvious it was that he walked over to the crowd, gripped Sanji's forearm, and literally growled at all the gathered strangers. Most scattered immediately and the ones who stayed didn't look like they were going to argue with him very hard. Sanji was a different matter.

 

Zoro felt a strong kick to the back of his head and Sanji's anger came through his clenched teeth. “What are you doing, stupid marimo-cat? Scaring innocent women now that you look like some sort of beast.” Zoro glared at him, especially when Sanji tried to shove at Zoro's arm with his foot to get him to release his arm. “And get your dirty paws off me.” Instead he pulled Sanji away from the watching eyes, Sanji protesting the whole few yards to a darker area with less people. “What is _wrong_ with you.” Sanji finally broke the grip. “Did you manage to turn back into a demon while I wasn't watching you for 15 whole minutes?”

 

“They aren't just women,” Zoro said sharply. “They’re cambion.”

 

Sanji glared at him and he placed his hands on his waist. “And?”

 

“ _And_ what do you think they were trying to do.” Zoro returned the glare.

 

“They're still _women_ , very beautiful ones at that,” Sanji said firmly. “I can talk to who ever I want.”

 

“Yes, good for you.” Zoro gritted his sharp teeth a moment. “They're after your energy, not your damn love-cook routine.”

 

Sanji set his jaw tight and after a long moment he said, “So what?”

 

Zoro felt his hackles stand on end. “What do you mean ' _so what'_?”

 

“I mean _so what_ , as in, it's **my** damn energy and I can give it to who every **I** want,” Sanji said firmly and gestured around the place. “I'm not stupid. This place isn't Piety. I'm not the only one you can feed from here and if they are other cambion, then I'm sure there are others for you to take energy from. My energy is _not yours_ and you don't get a say in who **I** give my energy to. Don't you dare tell me what to do, damn marimo.” Sanji stood stubbornly and Zoro's fists clenched because it was Sanji's damn attitude that pissed him off so much.

 

But ultimately, Sanji was right and Zoro's anger petered out into bitterness. Yes, when they were on the ship, Sanji was his main food source, but Sanji wasn't someone he could put claim on his energy because Sanji wasn't _his_. It stung deeper than he wanted to admit right then that Sanji wasn't his mate. Zoro folded his arms. “Fine. Forget it.” He turned and walked off, preferably to see if he could sample the ale yet. “Do what you want.”

 

“I will!” Sanji yelled after him and stormed off in the other direction. Probably to go and console the women Zoro had growled at. That thought made him grit his teeth but he knew he had no say in who Sanji decided to kiss or have sex with. And he shouldn't have been bothered by it; but he was, and he _hated_ that he was.

 


	18. From Hot to Cold in One Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MiharuStar did some fantastic art work of Zoro and I encourage you all to go look at the amazing pictures that is linked via previous chapter, titled 'In Your Dreams (fanart)'. They are SO cool!
> 
> Also, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Zoro finally got some ale, but he didn't join the bonfire dancing that everyone else gravitated to. After he had a good fill of drink and his head was mildly buzzed, he found solitude outside in the snow. It was windy and cold, but he ended up stumbling upon a couple who were also making use of the quiet and the dark. He sensed the activity before he walked on them, mostly covered by a blanket and looking like they were mildly drunk but enjoying themselves. Zoro cleared his throat and mumbled a lazy apology and moved on to a less occupied spot on the edge of the path, where he could overlook the side of the mountain. He tried not to think about Sanji doing the same with one -or more- of the women.

 

“None of my business,” he reminded himself and scoffed. “I don't need that asshole anyway.” The view from the mountain was quite good and would probably have been better if it wasn't dark. The full moon was out and lit up some shapes of the forest and there was the glow of it on the surface of the sea. Lights that were probably from Piety lit up one edge of the island while the rest was just hues of black to blue.

 

It wasn't too bad outside, he mused as he lay down in the snow. He winced only once, reminded that he had wings and adjusted them slightly under the coat so that they weren't laid upon at an awkward angle. His fur was a thin layer of velvet but it kept him much warmer than just exposed skin in the snow. His winter coat only insulated him more so he closed his eyes, telling himself he'd feel much better if he got some energy.

 

Not many people were sleeping yet while the party was going on, but he could wait in the deamscape until someone dozed off drunk. Zoro chuckled at how ridiculously the air was filled with energy, pulsing even in the world of dreams. He wasn't the only one there though. The strange fox-deer was there as well and it watched him suspiciously for a time. Zoro watched it back. It had a fox face, small antlers, but long legs of a dear with hooves and a fox tail. It sat in the middle of the cave where the bonfire would be burning. It's coat was mostly tan with the decorations of a fox in light lavender.

 

Only when dreams started to appear and Zoro moved to take a look did the fox-deer speak. “Not that one.”

 

“Eh?” Zoro stopped before he touched the cloud.

 

“That one's mated, so I don't suggest you touch it,” the fox-deer said wisely. Zoro eyed the creature but he didn't push it.

 

“You some sort of guard?” Zoro asked.

 

“I'm a tattle-tale,” the fox grinned wide with sharp teeth and Zoro scoffed.

 

“I guess there are rules here,” Zoro guessed.

 

“You got it, Mr. Guest,” the fox-deer said. “Not everyone is mated, so I'll let you know when one comes up.” Zoro huffed but he suspected that he should follow the rules set or he doubted that old man would teach him about being a cambion.

 

“Guess I have no choice.” He sat, and waited.

 

Several more mated clouds arrived, but then clouds came that were not, but they didn't have much lust to them.

 

“Guess they got a nice night cap before bed,” the fox-deer teased. Zoro rubbed his temples, starting to get really annoyed with the back-seat dreamer. “Maybe you'd have better luck going and finding a stray lady dancing in the fire light.”

 

“Look here, fox-” Zoro began but didn't get to finish because he was abruptly awoken by a sharp kick to the side.

 

“Fucking-” Zoro sat up and gripped a sword hilt before he looked up and frowned at a certain blonde cook, who had a mug in hand from the party.

 

“You're sleeping here in the snow, dumbass,” Sanji told him and Zoro grumbled more curses under his breath as he started to dust powdered snow from his body. “If you die out here because of hypothermia, Chopper will be pissed at you.”

 

“Fuck off, cook,” Zoro said and as he came out of his half sleep state he realized Sanji was still radiating warmly with lust.

 

“The hell did you do, get lost out here?” Sanji crouched next to him and took a moment to balance himself on his heels before he spoke again, voice a bit more slurred. “There's food inside and it's warmer.”

 

Zoro breathed the air and realized the scent of strong alcohol was coming from Sanji. “Are you drunk?”

 

“No. Don't change the subject,” Sanji said with less harshness than usual. “Besides, even if I was, I'm a pirate, I can drink when I want when I'm at a party.” He prodded Zoro in the shoulder. “But you weren't at the party.”

 

“Too stuffy,” Zoro said, amused by Sanji's new strange hand wave that he was pretty sure Sanji would not do sober.

 

“It's a _pArty_. You're supposed to be in dancing with everyone,” Sanji said, sounding like a whiny kid and Zoro huffed in amusement. “Shut up, don't laugh, dumb marimo.”

 

“I don't dance,” Zoro said and stared at Sanji for a long moment before he said. “You know, it's the second day, and it's way past dinner.”

 

Sanji stuck out his tongue at Zoro -a lazy excuse for a comeback- and snorted before he said, “That's all you think about.” Zoro shrugged. He did miss lip locking with Sanji, but he wasn't going to admit that to his face.

 

“You didn't run off with another cambion,” Zoro pointed out.  
  


“I should have, but I made this deal with this demon that I'd feed him,” Sanji huffed and Zoro was bemused when Sanji moved to straddle his waist with his knees in the snow and he tossed the empty mug in the general direction of the entrance of the cave. “Unfortunately I don't have any dishes for him to wash, which means I don't get much out of this.” Zoro scoffed because now Sanji was saying it for the dramatics. He took Sanji's hips in his hand, really liking this position. Sanji was very attractive, looking half frazzled as though he had been dancing. He only had his winter jacket buttoned minimally. Sanji laid his forearms on Zoro's shoulders and leaned in a few inches, giving him a piercing stare. “What to have you do…”

 

“I'll do more dishes when I get back to the ship.” Zoro folded his legs under Sanji's butt and leaned in to connect their lips, but Sanji tilted his head up, his nose bumping against Sanji's chin.

 

“That's not what I want,” Sanji said snootily.

 

“Of course not,” Zoro huffed and felt Sanji's neck shiver as goose bumps washed over his skin and the lust rose ever so lightly, like a ripple of water.

 

“I have been walking around for nearly two days with an aphree- aphrodack-,” Sanji cleared his throat, “with a stupid curse in my system and I think you should help me with that.” Zoro blinked and nearly rolled his eyes.

 

“Yeah, I'll _gladly_ help with that.” Zoro decided to play along since Sanji didn't fully seem to get that feeding would take care of that.

 

“Good. Good kitty,” Sanji cooed and rubbed Zoro behind the ear, which both annoyed him and actually felt kind of good. Sanji gave him a blissfully happy smile. “I want you to fuck me.”

 

Zoro did not quite believe his winged ears, even though they were quite open. “What?”

 

“I want _you_ ,” Sanji pressed a finger to Zoro's chest and then pointed to himself, “to fuck _me_.” Zoro's mind went numb for a few moments. _Sanji_ was _actually_ telling him to...

 

“How much have you had to drink?” Zoro asked.

 

“Shhh.” Sanji waved a finger between their faces. “I drank until I felt better, and then I danced, but you weren't dancing, so I came to find you. But now that you're here, and I'm here...” Zoro felt the lust rise in a wave, steady and strong and he leaned his chest more heavily into Zoro's. “I really, really want to try...” Sanji’s legs knees tightened against Zoro’s waist and a stray hand dragged down Zoro's jaw. His eye was half lidded with desire and Sanji really shouldn’t have been that alluring in the moon light. Then he dragged his teeth along his bottom lip which did all sorts of things to Zoro that he wasn’t ready for; even after being in some of Sanji’s vivid dreams. “I wasn't ready before, but I'm definitely ready this time.” Sanji's hips rolled forward and Zoro's hands just tightened on them. Zoro's throat felt dry as Sanji leaned in and kissed him. The taste of lust was potent and only flavored with the warm ale and the boldness that was Sanji. No resistance detoured him from the pool of lust. Zoro closed his eyes and basked in it for several moments. He pulled Sanji against him by his waist and thigh. Sanji made a throaty noise that enticed him further.

 

Zoro drank down a share of the lust, enough to curb the hunger so it would not distract him. It tasted just as good as he remembered, and what he remembered felt like weeks ago. He didn't take too much, because if he was going to... Zoro shook his head and turned them over so Sanji was in the snow on his back. Sanji giggled and his thighs tightened around Zoro's waist, his throat exposed and fingers entangling in Zoro's hair. If Zoro was going to... Zoro stopped, hovering over Sanji. Going to what? Fuck a drunk Sanji? Sanji who clearly was not in his right mind if he was looking for attention from _him_. Zoro was absolutely sure it would feel amazing. He could imagine Sanji being hot and tight inside. He wanted Sanji's moans echoing off the mountain top; he bet Sanji could cause an avalanche.

 

But there was that god damn line Zoro put down and that was clear on the other side of being alright. There was really no going back after crossing that line and he certainly didn't want to do it while Sanji was so hammered that he didn't know what he was doing. Sanji wouldn’t want this if he was sober.

 

“Zoro~” Sanji's thumb brushed Zoro's cheek, and then dragged over his three earrings, making the ear wing flutter. Sanji almost sounded endearing, which shook Zoro’s reserves and made him ache to comply. “Kiss me.” Zoro's throat bobbed and he steadied himself for a moment before he leaned down and kissed him...

 

Then he drank down every last bit of lust before he pulled back.

 

Sanji looked dazed under him for several moments, blinking up at him confused. Then Sanji tensed, eyes growing wide as he stared at Zoro. “Wh-what the hell did you do?”

 

“You'll thank me when you're sober, love-cook,” Zoro told him and Sanji abruptly elbowed him in the head, causing Zoro to sit up and hold the side of his face briefly.

 

"God dammit! I don't want to thank you for anything when I'm sober!” Sanji flailed but his movements weren't that hard to block or duck because the alcohol had slowed him. He wriggled until he pulled himself out from under Zoro, vibrating with anger, frustration and... tears. Zoro stared, not ready for tears to fill Sanji's eyes as he sat in the cold and threw wads of snow that turned into dust before it made impact on Zoro's face. “You stupid, marimo-headed dipshit! I wanted to have sex with you!" A sob wracked him as he staggered to his feet and this was far beyond what Zoro was capable of dealing with presently. What the hell was he supposed to do when Sanji started crying? "Do you _hate_ me that much, you asshole? Is that all I am too you? Food? Energy? I'm not even good enough for a drunken lay? Is it that easy for you to just ignore me after I feed you?"

 

“You're _drunk_ , you're not thinking straight,” Zoro told him and pushed himself to his feet.

 

“I'm thinking _FINE_!” Sanji snapped, his voice becoming much higher pitched for that one second when his voice broke. Zoro grimaced because Sanji was not a pretty crier and the fact that he was so wrecked over Zoro _not_ taking advantage left him confused. Sanji breathed in a stuttering sob and scrubbed his eyes with his snow coated sleeve. “No, I'm NOT fine because I have to be in love with a bastard like _you_. You don't even feel normal emotions, stupid demon! You-you ignore me. You piss me off. And-and I _hate_ you!” Another wave of tears poured down Sanji's face and he pressed his face into his snow chilled hands. “I wish I hated you... I wish I could just hate you…”

 

Zoro watched Sanji’s shoulders shake as silent sobs racked his body and Zoro didn’t think he should ever see Sanji this open and bare. He wasn’t good at comfort. He didn’t know soothing words or what he was even supposed to say to that. However, he did reach out, a hand gently grasping Sanji’s arm, and pulled Sanji closer to him. Sanji hiccuped and was stubborn at first, smacking his hands on Zoro’s shoulders and face. It wasn’t exactly coordinated and it was more like a short lived temper tantrum.

 

“Fuck off. I don’t want your pity,” Sanji’s voice was somewhat stronger but still gummed up as Zoro pulled them together.

 

“Shut up,” Zoro told him firmly. He cradled Sanji’s head in his hand and pressed his warm cheek to Sanji’s chilled wet one. “It’s fine. Be drunk to your heart’s content.” He said it softer than he intended, but it maybe took 3 seconds for Sanji to relent his stubbornness and press against him. Sanji clung close and buried his face in Zoro’s shoulder, arms wrapping securely around Zoro’s ribs and held on tight.

 

There were a few more shuttering breaths as Sanji calmed himself. Zoro held still and said nothing. He braced his back against the cold wind and waited for Sanji to find composure. Sanji’s words rang in his head more than anything. Where the hell had that burst of emotion come from? Sanji wanted to have sex with him? More shockingly, Sanji loved him? What the hell was going on?

 

Sanji's face finally lifted from his coat when Zoro thought the chill was finally seeping past the fur on his legs. “You’re warm,” Sanji muttered tiredly in his ear.

 

“Happens when you’re covered in fur.” Zoro pulled back a step but Sanji’s hands were fisted in the back of his coat, refusing to let go. Sanji stared at the ground, dejected as well as looking absolutely pitiful and sad. Zoro sighed and gave Sanji’s shoulders a squeeze. “It’s warmer inside.”

 

Sanji didn’t seem too keen on letting him go but Zoro pried off one hand so he could walk him back to the cave entrance. It was quiet and dark near the entrance but enough heat circulated from the huge fire to create a line that the snow couldn’t cross. He could hear soft music further into the alcove but it was far from bothering. Zoro pried the other hand from his coat. Holding it, he felt Sanji’s fingers were chilled. Sanji was being docile, which didn’t bode well in Zoro’s mind.

 

“You should sleep it off,” Zoro told him. “You’ll feel better for it.” Sanji shook his head like a stubborn kid and Zoro sighed. Maybe fucking the cook would have been an easier problem to deal with in the morning instead of this confusing mess.

 

“You’ll leave,” Sanji muttered. “Wander off again and get lost.”

 

“I will not,” Zoro said with a scoff. He then dusted some of the stray snow from Sanji’s hair. “I have to stay near by and make sure you don’t do something stupid.” He sat on the chilled rock were it was flat enough to lay comfortably and with a tug of his hand, Sanji did the same. “We both need to sleep this off.”

 

“Zoro…” Sanji took a deep breath, as though looking for words but his grip on Zoro’s hand said a lot more.

 

“As long as you don’t scream in my face again when you wake up, I’ll stay,” Zoro said and laid down on his side. Sanji didn’t hesitate too long and curled up to him, his face pressed to his chest like a pillow. Zoro let out a breath and secured his arms around Sanji. He’d confront Sanji after he was sober and not while he had the look of a kicked puppy.

 

“Thank you,” Sanji murmured and Zoro swallowed, feeling his chest tighten.

 

“Shut up and sleep,” he said. Sanji adjusted, getting more comfortable before soon enough he finally fell asleep. Zoro followed him not long after and he ignored the fox-deer that gave him a curious look. Zoro just let his own dreams take over for the night, not quite ready to dwell on how true alcohol made the cook’s tongue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sort of love how this chapter came to be because most zosan fics incorporate the lovely element that enough alcohol would help them sleep together (Which I totally believe). Probably one of my fave chapters to write because it didn't go the usual route.


	19. Sunrise is Always a Good Place to Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fabled Morning After is always what everyone is concerned about, haha. Though it's definitely not over yet. Nope, nope.

Sanji groaned as he awoke. Though awakening could have been a very strong word. He was vaguely aware that he was conscious and very comfortable. The embrace around him was warm and he kept his eyes closed for the longest time. Not just because he had a sour belly and headache from drinking so much, but it was a rarity that he awoke snuggled up to someone. So having it be Zoro three mornings in a row had to be some sort of miracle. The morning before it had been one of Zoro’s bat wings, which was like a large black and green blanket that curled around him on its own accord. That morning in the cave, Sanji lay on top of the warmth and inhaled the relieving scent of winter that mixed with Zoro’s, which always seemed earthy with salt and steel. He even felt Zoro breathing steadily.

 

Finally, Sanji tested the light, which even mild light dazed him momentarily and he hid his face in the warm chest under him. His face then felt five times hotter when he realized he was blatantly pressing his face into Zoro’s chest; not Zoro’s coat. No wonder he was so warm, Zoro’s coat was open and Sanji’s arms had slithered around him, as though having sought warmth of their own accord. For the record, Zoro had no fur covering his body that morning. Sanji sat up and glanced at Zoro’s face, which was not so peaceful because the man was snoring with each inhale and his mouth was agape. His hair still looked a tad bushy, but the ear wings had reduced by half, making them not jointed anymore and touching them didn’t get that annoyed flicking motion like a cat.

 

Though if Zoro didn’t have any hair covering him anymore… Sanji glanced down and quickly retracted his arms because he remembered that Zoro wasn’t wearing pants. He was so glad that Zoro had a long coat or he’d be showing the whole cave his fourth sword. It was far too early to start thinking about Zoro being naked. At least when Zoro was part cat he’d had much more hair down there or maybe that part of his anatomy had changed as well…

 

_Nope_. Sanji sat up straight and hastily fastened several buttons on Zoro’s coat. He was not ready to think about that when he hadn’t even had his first smoke of the day.

 

Sanji stood up, hands immediately fishing in his pockets for his cigarettes and lighter. The cave was nice and quiet at least and Zoro had apparently huddled them in the darkest corner for some privacy. Sanji moved towards the exit for some fresh air. He didn’t remember moving back into the cave…

 

Sanji paused as he passed the snowy threshold into the still dark morning and he muttered a long, “ _Shit_.” The night was returning like a hit over the head. It was added to his current headache but the cold air combated both when he stepped outside. The cigarette helped too; but he really fucked up last night. He’d gotten so pissed off at Zoro for… damn it, the whole day. It had started nice but it quickly went to hell after Zoro yanked his hand back from him and then interrupted his extremely thrilling time with the women; who offered such tempting suggestions.

 

What it had been was such an ugly mess of anger and dejection that he’d taken the drink Nami offered him and partook until the music called to him. Then he remembered stumbling out to find Zoro, getting his energy drained, and felt absolutely crushed as he was denied. He had been so pent up after so many hours with the aphrodisiac and he just wanted to feel that moment when the demon pressed into him. He wanted that with Zoro. He wanted **something** with Zoro and it ached so badly. Having his energy drained then felt like Zoro had dropped him from his warm embrace into the icy sea and something in him just broke because he still _ached_ for Zoro. He didn’t just ache for him sexually, he just ached _all over_ and it hurt so bad that he couldn’t stop the tears. He remembered it all and he knew he’d never live it down. Sanji knocked his knuckles against his forehead. “Stupid, stupid, stupid…” Not only had he inadvertently confessed his feelings but he’d cried in front of Zoro, of all the people.

 

“You’re going to break what ever brain you have left, love-cook.”

 

Sanji’s breath hitched and he froze. He bared down mentally and took a deep breath from his cigarette before he blew out a stream of smoke that was immediately whisked away by the mountain air. He wasn’t ready for this kind of thing that morning. He wished they were back at the Merry so he could at least put focus into cooking breakfast. Damn his internal clock for waking him so early.

 

He glanced around, seeing Zoro was walking out to meet him. Sanji scoffed because Zoro was barefoot and probably had one hell of a draft because he was only covered by the re-buttoned coat and most likely his haramaki under that. “Put on some freaking pants, you exhibitionist,” Sanji managed with relative ease. If the cold bothered Zoro, he didn’t show it, but at least he was back to having human legs again.

 

“Like you should be talking with what happened last night,” Zoro said. Sanji looked over the side of the mountain, reminded about how he’d very blatantly demanded sex and was completely willing to do it in the snow. He hoped the chill of the mountain could be a good excuse for his face reddening from embarrassment.

 

“I was… extremely drunk last night,” Sanji said, almost automatically. It felt like an extremely shallow excuse for what he did last night. It was also the least painful thing he could think of.

 

“Extremely,” Zoro agreed and had a poker face that Sanji wanted to kick in. How could Zoro not even sound remotely interested in what had happened last night?

 

“Won’t happen again, so lets drop it,” Sanji suggested. He didn’t think he could go through something so painful again. Maybe Zoro would take pity and grant him to keep some of his dignity.

 

Zoro let out a long, steady breath. “No, we need to talk.”

 

“No, we don’t. There’s nothing to talk about,” Sanji countered.

 

“Yes, we do,” Zoro insisted. “And you know exactly what about.” Sanji’s lips grew extra tight around the end of his cigarette and it was dwindling faster than he wanted his first smoke of the day to go. He never intended to let it slip. Why couldn’t he take his damn secret to his grave like any decent unrequited love? He didn’t trust his voice to lie stone faced about it. Not the way it had all come pouring out the night before; the wound was still fresh. He’d offered himself quite blatantly to Zoro and the marimo had still picked energy over him. Sanji was starting to think Zoro’s over affectionate demon-side was just a fluke. Not much more attachment to him than a dog looking for scraps.

 

“Doesn’t matter,” Sanji assured him and looked towards the horizon, where the sun was starting to peek and the sky was wide open with hues of orange that blended to indigo. The whole island was peacefully washed in the fresh morning glow. It was terribly romantic; wasted on a very unromantic bastard like Zoro. “I already said a lot of weird shit and I don’t need to repeat myself.”

 

“Not going to even try to deny any of it?” Zoro asked curiously.

 

Sanji shook his head. He was honestly tired of hiding it. Wearily, he mused maybe if Zoro rejected his feelings to his face more firmly, it might allow him to move on. He bitterly thought of the fact that he was prepared to do the same thing when he toyed with the idea of Zoro being in love with him only a couple months ago. Just thinking about that made him feel even more ill than he already was.

 

“It’s not like it would go anywhere,” Sanji said solemnly. “Just… just say it already.”

 

“Say what?” Zoro asked.

 

“You know what,” Sanji said, getting the cigarette to the nub before he flicked it into the snow. “Tell me you don’t give a damn about me. Tell me you don’t… feel the same way. It’s always been about filling your damn demon stomach and never about… anything else.” His throat was already tightening and he was already reaching for another cigarette.

 

Zoro was unnervingly quiet for several moments before he stepped closer to Sanji, being in his peripheral vision as he lit up the next cigarette. Zoro had one of those condescending eyebrows raised and was frowning. “You know for months you’ve just been claiming how much you love women and not men-”

 

“Or you can just be a complete asshole,” Sanji muttered darkly. Yes, he knew how hypocritical it was. The whole situation was a joke on him and his pride. He didn’t need Zoro to rub his nose in it; but then again, that’s what they did.

 

“And you’re the one that wanted to complicate things instead of letting me feed from your dreams.”

 

“My dreams are still none of your business.”

 

“Stupid cook, do you have any idea how many times I’ve stepped back so you could preserve your precious _‘heterosexuality’_.” Probably the worst part was the fact that Zoro _actually_ used air quotes and it pissed Sanji right off.

 

“What, you think I want to- to _like_ a selfish bastard like you?!” Sanji snapped. “You’re a complete and utter asshole and you only treat me like a walking dinner plate for both your stomachs! And when you drain me it just feels worse instead of better!” He turned away feeling that stupid swelling in his chest before his eyes watered. No, he would NOT cry in front of Zoro again. He’d rather jump off the cliff before him. He still felt like raw nerves. “Shit.” He huffed out a large cloud of smoke. “It’s not supposed to be this hard. Should be easy to hate a pompous ass like you.”

 

A pair of solid arms captured Sanji around the waist from behind and his first reaction was to stiffen and struggle. “Calm down,” Zoro told him. “Not trying to fight right now.” Sanji tentatively stopped his struggling but his body was still tense and his heart thudding in his chest. It took a moment to realize Zoro was embracing him, warmth being insulated against his back and Sanji nearly forgot about the cigarette in his hand. “Are you really okay with something like this?” Sanji felt his face warm, despite the chill and insistent butterflies filled his stomach. He couldn’t even answer; he was so hard wired to deny it. “It could be something if we gave it a try.”

 

Sanji’s breath caught in his throat a moment but he managed to make his voice steady. “You’re the one that said you don’t love me.”

 

“I don’t,” Zoro agreed. “You haven’t let me.” Sanji’s impending heartbreak was staved by confusion.

 

“That makes no sense,” Sanji said.

 

“That’s cause you’re an idiot.”

 

“Explain your self, useless moss-demon.”

 

Zoro snorted. “I don’t give my heart away on a whim like you.” His arms tightened around Sanji’s waist, adding security to the hold. “There’s potential here. Lots of it. But damn it if you don’t make it a struggle every damn day.” Sanji relaxed ever so slightly, mostly because of the stress in Zoro’s voice. Then Zoro jostled him, seemingly out of frustration. “I would have taken up your offer last night if I didn’t think you were drunk out of your mind.”

 

When the jostling settled down, Sanji blinked. He wasn’t really expecting this to be Zoro’s reaction. There was certainly a lot less mocking on Zoro’s part for one thing. Another was that Zoro didn’t sound too opposed to the idea of there being something. It wasn’t exactly ideal because Zoro didn’t seem to share the extreme of the feelings, but it was not a rejection. He placed his cigarette in his mouth and laid his arms on Zoro’s, silently enjoying the warmth.

 

“So, cook. You want to give it a shot?” Zoro asked.

 

Sanji let out a breath of smoke in dry laugh, feeling a bit light headed in that moment. “Why do you have to make it sound so easy?”

 

“What’s so complicated about it? You want me. I want you.”

 

“You can’t say that you’re not worried about it screwing things up. Or it being messed up.”

 

“It’s already messed up because I’m agreeing to be with a perverted, girl-crazy cook. But so what?” Zoro leaned in and placed a kiss on Sanji’s neck, causing his skin to tingle. “I’m willing to try if you're willing.” Sanji flushed and sighed.

 

“Why does everyone else just simply accept this sort of thing,” Sanji asked, mostly out of frustration. “You over simplify everything and the others just take it at surface value.”

 

“… Others?” Zoro sounded confused.

 

“Um,” Sanji paused, remembering that it really hadn’t been brought up yet. “Luffy spotted us in the galley kissing so… they assumed we’re lovers.” Sanji looked over his shoulder and was amused by the exaggerated grimace on Zoro’s face. Sanji turned in Zoro’s loosened grip and faced him with a sly smile. “What’s that face for.”

 

“Nothing,” Zoro said immediately. “That’s a stupid assumption. We haven’t even done it yet.” Sanji let his arms rest on Zoro’s shoulders, getting cozy since Zoro didn’t seem to be letting him go.

 

“Yeah, because the first assumption will _always_ be that you’re taking energy,” Sanji used a dry tone of sarcasm with a raised brow. Zoro shuffled in the snow a bit and huffed out a breath. Sanji locked eyes with Zoro for several moments and flecked Zoro’s earrings lightly. “So…” He felt the urge to kiss Zoro. Not with built up lust, but a large yearning for intimate contact was there.

 

Zoro was quiet a moment before he muttered, “My feet are cold.” Sanji snorted and his head dropped to Zoro’s shoulder, a laugh escaping him. He dropped his cigarette somewhere but he didn't mind too much.

 

“You’re the idiot with no boots,” Sanji said with a smile.

 

“Shut up, I don’t know where they are,” Zoro grumbled and shifted, making motions as though to rub his cold foot on his leg.

 

Sanji stood up straight again and gestured to the forest far bellow, which was washed with golden light from the sun. “They’re somewhere with your lost shirt. Good luck finding them.”

 

“Yeah, great.” Zoro grumbled. On a whim, Sanji placed a peck on Zoro’s frowning mouth. Maybe to test the boundaries that were just a blur now, or maybe Zoro was sort of pitiful, standing there with literal cold feet but hugging him in the snow. Zoro’s brows rose slightly with the kiss and Sanji tried not to make it seem like such a big deal; even though it was the first kiss that wasn’t to exchange energy. His heart was already thudding harder against his ribs.

 

“I think your pants are in our supplies,” Sanji said to fill the air. “These people gave Luffy a coat so maybe they’ll have shoes…” He was easily quieted when Zoro drew him into a firmer kiss. Sanji lost all train of thought and sank into it. His fingers curled into Zoro’s hair, enjoying the slow warmth that spread out through his veins. He hugged Zoro a bit closer but a shutter from Zoro interrupted them.

 

“It’s seriously cold out here,” he said, but instead of pulling away, his arms slid under Sanji’s ass and hefted him up so his feet were off the ground.

 

“Oi! I can walk!” Sanji snapped. Zoro chuckled, holding Sanji to him and carried him back towards the cave. Sanji huffed and propped his elbow on Zoro’s head lawn. Though Zoro only took three steps towards the cave before he stopped and jarred Sanji with the suddenness of it. Sanji blinked out of confusion and looked down at Zoro, who’s eyes were on the cave. Sanji looked behind him and at the cave entrance he saw that the rest of the crew was there at the cave entrance. Being caught, the rest of the crew just gave them encouraging looks; such as thumbs up, grins, and waves.

 

Zoro promptly dropped Sanji on his ass in the snow.

 

“Ow! That hurt, stupid marimo!” Sanji snapped, glaring as he stood up and dusted the snow off of his back side.

 

“You said you can walk, so you can walk, stupid cook,” Zoro said with just as much annoyance. Sanji was rather baffled by Zoro’s sudden change in attitude. It had changed when Zoro realized the crew was there and Sanji paused, the argument hinging for a moment. Sanji noticed Zoro looked a bit stressed and his face seemed more red than earlier in the cold…

 

“A shy marimo?” Sanji asked curiously and tapped Zoro’s nose. His own embarrassment was completely over ridden by the idea that Zoro seemed to have a social anxiety to being affectionate in front of the crew. Zoro batted his hand away.

 

“Who are you calling shy?” He asked venomously and Sanji chuckled. He guessed that answered that age old question; marimos didn’t take to public displays of affection very quickly.

 

“You, you catty bastard.” Sanji leaned in and stole a chaste kiss before he all but ran back into the shelter of the cave and bypassed the crew without looking for their reactions. He was amused to see Zoro stunned for a moment in the snow but eventually trudged in, face red and telling the rest of the crew to shut up before they said anything. Sanji quickly mentioned that he’d go to the kitchen and whip up breakfast for the early risers; anything to hide the fact that he had taken a rather brash leap to confirm the rest of the crew of their suspicions. He was too elated to really care though.

 


	20. Talking is an Underrated Concept

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In celebration for completing my Sabriel Big Bang Fic on time, I shall post a new chapter. Sorry for the wait guys, it's been very busy as of late.
> 
> I have gotten a couple questions regarding why Zoro couldn’t enter the dreams of the people of Piety. I didn’t exactly explain it, it was more implied. The reason was because the Piety towns people actually consumed the Chastity Bell in their daily diet, which is how they keep demons from invading their dreams. The cambion, being dream demons, can not enter a dream of someone who has eaten Chastity Bell within a certain amount of time. 
> 
> I was also asked about how the territorial thing works with mates and dream energy. First about energy eating: Cambion and Incubi can enter people’s dreams but that does not mean they automatically take energy from that person. However, the general purpose of going into one’s dream is to gain sexual energy. Zoro might visit his crew’s dreams, but that does not mean he’s always feeding on them. He might be bored and want to see what everyone is dreaming, like he did in chapter 16. Can you imagine how amusing Luffy’s head must be? Adventure! So eating sexual energy is a conscious effort, plus one of the rules of feeding off of lust eating is that the person must be aroused for there to even be energy. This usually means the incubus has to seduce the person via fantasy. Sanji, having an abnormal sex drive, makes this rather easy and Zoro would only have to change a few cues to make it favorable to him. Zoro also takes different forms in dreams, mostly because the disassociation from reality tends to make things flow easier for the dreamer, which is why Sanji didn’t see Zoro in his dreams until he himself was dreaming of Zoro; Zoro chose not to look like himself in the dreams he was in.
> 
> The mating thing that the mountain people have set up are a community agreement to not tread on another cambion’s territory. A mate to a cambion is a worthy lover and also a stable food source. It’s akin to the testament to not covet thy neighbor’s wife, in other words, an agreement to not steal or wish to possess another person’s lover. A cambion can go into the dream world and defend what is theirs depending on several unmentioned variables. I suppose if they were an abnormally non-territorial cambion, they may allow other cambion into their mate’s dream; though I can not think of a reason why someone would do that. It’s not really a swinger mentality. When a cambion takes a mate, that mate is theirs and no one elses. Off the market and damn it, limbs will fly if that agreement is knowingly broken. 
> 
> Now unmated cambion are much more casual with sex and it would not be uncommon that a cambion started an orgy with other cambions. These types of cambion are free roamers, and usually younger because hell, they’re young, vital, hungry, and powerful; they do what they want and the world is their oyster.
> 
> Was that too much? I dunno, but I don’t go into the world building too much because I try to show it in story; so I’ll splurge on specifics that weren't explained well or any other questions or theories. I haven’t answered too many questions so far because they would either be revealed later or spoil something. If any of you had any more specific questions, I’d be more than happy to pour a wall or two of text onto your screen.

“You’re a bastard,” Zoro said as soon as he got Sanji alone again; though that didn’t happen until after lunch time because Sanji got caught up in a brunch rush when the rest of the tribe started waking up for food. While the main meat was spit roasted over the bonfire at night, there was a stone oven and food storage in one of the smaller buildings that doubled as a small kitchenette from what Zoro could tell. It wasn't that much bigger than the Going Merry's but it was a fine place to talk privately; Zoro had finally gotten a pair of leather shoes, but they weren’t as worn in as his boots. He happen to like those boots so it was a shame to lose them. He'd also found his pants and was happy to have them back on.

 

Sanji gave a casual shrug and lit up a fresh cigarette. “Not my fault you got all flustered,” Sanji said. He leaned against the table that was stacked with various spices and herbs, looking much more relaxed than earlier.

 

“I was not flustered,” Zoro said firmly. He just hated people watching him when he was doing something private; like being nice to the damn cook. He wanted his private life to remain private, especially when he was still figuring out what he and Sanji were, or what they could be. It was a tangled mess, and then Sanji had to throw in the word 'love' into it. That vague, cliché word that he cringed at every time Sanji used it; especially when used in the same sentence as Nami. It didn't mean much on its own, because Sanji used it all the time. But this time was different because it wasn't as carefree as Sanji's normal use of the word. So maybe it meant more than normal as well. Either way, it was a subject he was ready to bring up. “It's none of their business what we do... or not do.” The case being that they still hadn't gone past kissing in Zoro's experience.

 

“It's not like they're throwing us a parade or anything,” Sanji said. “They don't seem to mind, if nothing else.”

 

“Yeah, fine.” Zoro folded his arms. “But we're not... lovers.”

 

Sanji deflated a bit and was quiet for a moment before he asked, “Well, you do want to be, right?”

 

“I think it would be a fine starting point,” Zoro said and did not miss Sanji’s expression lighting up considerably. “Been a while since I've had one.”

 

“You've actually had lovers?” Sanji asked with his curly brow raised and didn't sound convinced.

 

“One,” Zoro said and scratched the back of his neck. He didn't talk about these sorts of things, so he wasn't exactly comfortable talking to Sanji about it. Especially since the whole crew didn't have the best experience with him. “Do you remember Saga from Asuka Island.”

 

Sanji paused and then frowned. “That jackass you busted my arm for?”

 

“Yeah...” Zoro might have still felt a smidge guilty about turning against his nakama, especially when he hadn't known the whole situation. “I suppose you could call him my 'ex'.” He and Saga had broken it off before he left the dojo to expand his training in the world. But he supposed all of that led to more of his actions on Asuka than he wanted to admit.

 

“Your ex caused a shit load of trouble,” Sanji scoffed and focused on his cigarette smoking for a moment. “He was with that beautiful Maya girl.”

 

“It was over long before I thought he'd died,” Zoro said, looking more at the smoldering stone oven. It radiated enough heat that he could unbutton his coat indoors, though he still didn't have a shirt; not that it bothered him that much. “I guess he moved on pretty quickly.” He glanced at Sanji, who gave him a curious look. “What?”

 

“Did you love him?” Sanji asked curiously, quite serious on the matter.

 

Zoro closed his eyes and let out a slow breath as he felt his face warm. He was not good at these sort of conversations. He quickly thought of a topic change. “I get that you've probably been with women, but you've never been with a man, right?”

 

Sanji rolled his eyes at first. “Well, obvious-” Sanji stopped mid word, remembering something. He lowered his tone and looked away. “Well... no man besides you anyway.” Zoro blinked, reminded that he'd made Sanji orgasm when he was a demon.

 

“I thought you said we didn't fuck.” Zoro was pretty sure that's what was insinuated but it wasn't like Sanji was forthcoming with information.

 

Sanji's face turned a deep red. “We _didn't_ , but you did every damn thing else to me.”

 

“Like what?” Zoro was genuinely curious. He thought it was unfortunate that he still couldn't remember that part and even more so that he'd completely drained Sanji the night before so he couldn't tell how everything was affecting the cook’s libido.

 

“T-that's private,” Sanji said quickly, looking at the floor.

 

“But I was the one that did it to you,” Zoro said.

 

“Well you should remember then.”

 

“I don't remember most of what I did when I was a demon.”

 

“Damn it...” Sanji chewed on his cigarette a moment. “You... you _did_ things. Lots of tongue things. A blow job. A... fuck, an ass job?” Zoro raised an eyebrow, especially when Sanji sucked down the rest of his cigarette and ended up putting it out in a cup of water. He blew out his last stream of smoke, face stained pink with embarrassment. “And a finger.”

 

“What, no hand job?” Zoro snorted, half joking in hopes that Sanji would lighten up.

 

“No, you did that too.” Sanji looked beyond embarrassed about admitting it. “I'm still wrapping my mind around everything.”

 

“Did you like it all?” Zoro asked.

 

“For the most part,” Sanji admitted after a moment. “Besides you being half cat-bat.” He huffed out a frustrated breath. “Yes, okay, I liked it. I'm gay now, or what ever.”

 

Zoro scoffed. “You're not gay.” Sanji had a confused look on his face. “You obviously still like women. You're bisexual, at least.” Zoro’s eyes narrowed on the cook who seemed to be pondering that notion far deeper than he was meant to. “Speaking of women. I hope you don’t continue to flirt with every one you meet.” It still annoyed Zoro when Sanji went googly-eyed over every pretty woman he saw. Sanji lifted his head, frowning.

 

“I don’t flirt with every woman I meet,” he said indignantly. “I’m a gentleman and I simply give them my complete and utter attention as a gentleman should.” Zoro raised a brow at the cook for the longest moment until Sanji continued with slight offense, “You could stand to be nicer to the ladies on the ship; or in general for that matter.” Zoro scoffed because he realized it was like telling a fish not to swim in water.

 

“You could stand to be less annoying when you’re serving them snacks,” Zoro said blatantly.

 

Instead of rising to the argument Sanji paused in thought and asked, “Jealous marimo?”

 

Zoro’s temper flared. “ _Annoyed_ mari-” He put his fist to his forehead to stop himself from calling himself a damn moss ball and Sanji snickered like a little brat. “I’m not jealous. I just hope you know that if we do decide to be lovers, it’s a private relationship.”

 

Sanji frowned, as though offended. “Are you saying you’d think I’d cheat in a committed relationship?”

 

“I’m saying that I’m fully entitled to get pissed off if you’re getting too friendly with the natives.”

 

“Well if you pull a Neanderthal stunt like last night again I’m fully entitled to beat you over the head for scaring all those women.” Sanji scoffed. “Honestly, barging in before we’ve even decided this sort of thing.”

 

“That… was a cambion thing,” Zoro admitted. He hated admitting he was wrong, especially to Sanji, but that moment hadn’t been his proudest. “I know I had no right to put a claim on you when you weren’t mine.”

 

“Damn right you didn’t,” Sanji said and his righteous tone only grated on Zoro’s pride. “Honestly, I’m more than your damn meal.”

 

“You’re not just a damn meal,” Zoro snapped, tired of Sanji’s whining. “I’m not even talking about energy right now, alright. I’m talking about…” Zoro paused and rubbed his head because it wasn’t completely the demon thing and it wasn’t completely him. It was a bit of both. He was still translating all those primal feelings that filtered through his head at that moment.

 

Sanji waited for several moments before he said, “Explain it.”

 

“Shut up, I can’t right now.” Zoro hated that it wasn’t a cut and dry thing. It never had been easy for him, and it got even harder when trying to say it to Sanji. “It’s not just about energy, alright? It’s about you. It’s about you being a…” He gritted his teeth and folded his arms because he couldn’t make it sound any less stupid than it was. “It’s about you being a strong, worthy mate that I want for myself.” Sanji blinked at him but said nothing. Zoro huffed, feeling his own cheeks redden because he was being fairly open. “I thought you were strictly into women so I never acted on it. I shouldn’t have acted on it then either.”

 

Sanji nodded slowly, taking it in. “I um… I’m not sure if I’m ‘bisexual’ or what ever you want to call it.” He pursed his lips a moment before he said, “I just know that I want to try it with you. Not just sex, but the whole thing. So don’t think you’re allowed to run off and flirt with other people either.” Zoro nodded and took several steps to close the distance between them. It felt odd to be in agreement with Sanji, but it was far from being a bad experience.

 

“Does this mean I can stop being stuck on dish duty every other night just so I can get a kiss?” Zoro asked

 

Sanji smirked a bit. “But you’re my favorite dish washer.”

 

Zoro huffed and planted a kiss on Sanji’s cocky mouth. Sanji yielded to the kiss and rested a hand on Zoro’s shoulder; warm and welcoming. Zoro tasted no lust and knew it would be several days until they could actually finalize their title of ‘lovers’, but it was still warm and welcoming. He wrapped his arm around Sanji’s waist, drawing them closer.

 

“Too bad we can’t do it for a few days.” Zoro mentioned. Sanji stuck out his tongue at Zoro.

 

“And who’s fault is that?” Sanji asked condescendingly.

 

“Yours,” Zoro said firmly.

 

“It is _not_ mine.” Sanji scoffed. “You’re the one that drained me last night.”

 

“You’re the one that asked me to fuck you out of no where,” Zoro countered.

 

“You should have,” Sanji said firmly.

 

“You’re surprisingly alright with the idea of bending over for me,” Zoro pointed out, just to see the color rise in Sanji’s face.

 

“I…” Sanji stalled for a moment, cheeks and ears especially aflame. “It felt good, alright. If you’re going to say it like that then we don’t have to do it at all-”

 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Zoro said quickly. “Just surprised, is all.” Far be it for him to make Sanji feel like being the bottom was a bad thing. He had every intention of making sure Sanji enjoyed the experience. Sanji didn’t look very convinced and had a pout on his lips. Zoro kissed them briefly and Sanji glanced at him. “You’ve got to let me make up for last night.” Sanji relaxed a little.

 

“I don’t _have_ to,” Sanji told him flatly but then his fingers slowly curled into the hair at the back of Zoro's neck where it was still a bit long. “I might let you try though.” Sanji wrapped his other arm around Zoro’s waist and drew them together in a comfortable embrace. Zoro rubbed his hand up Sanji’s back, returning it lightly. He wasn’t completely used to the contact and it wasn’t one of those hugs that was to be quickly pulled away from. “Let’s stay like this for a while.” Zoro resisted calling Sanji clingy and kissed the side of his head. He sort of liked this type of clingy though.

 

“Sure, cook,” he agreed and Sanji let out a content breath. He ignored the feeling that hearts were radiating off of Sanji as he rested his cheek on Zoro’s shoulder with the content hum he let out.


	21. The Home Stretch

The rest of the time spent on Libertine was spent with the locals on the mountain. It was not as peaceful in the same way as Piety; as Luffy had promised. They were true people of the wilderness, hunting and gathering. When night fell, fun and mischief began with the firelight. Sanji helped with much of the cooking work and was far from disappointed with it. He was amused by a pack of varied cambion that trotted by in the cave. They were all combinations of a sort of predator, human, and other animal from what he could tell. Unlike the ones in the woods, the cambion seemed friendly. Maybe too friendly because one of the cambion was a spider-bird and Sanji wanted nothing to do with it; but of course that one took a particular liking to him for a time. Though generally they seemed tame, even domesticated, in their demon forms.

 

Speaking of cambion, Zoro spent a lot of time with them. He tended to accompany an older man that seemed to be some sort of baby-sitter or teacher because he was surrounded by a small pack of trouble making kids; rough housing boys and girls. They seemed to listen to the old man alright, but when it came to Zoro the children seemed to have silently converged on testing Zoro's temper. They tugged on his sword hilts and coat from behind. They stole his shoes and put dirt in his hair. Sanji snickered but probably the funniest part was that the old man let them get away with it.

 

“Are you in cambion kindergarten?” Sanji asked once they took a break for lunch and Zoro separated himself from the group of 8 to 10 year olds.

 

“Shut up.” Zoro's foul mood came through as he sat more in the shadows of the kitchenette building, where Sanji was on his smoke break. He'd been cooking with a kind elderly woman that was teaching him about the spices they used there and what they were for. Zoro sat on a crate and ate at least half the stew Sanji had offered him before he took a breath and let his frustrations filter out through a long breath. “They're relentless.” Sanji smiled and sat next to him, cigarette in hand.

 

“Fearsome Demon of the East Blue, defeated by a pack of small children,” Sanji said and Zoro shot him a glare and nudged him hard, nearly knocking him off the box.

 

“Shut up, they're little demons. I'm just doing it because the old man is teaching me to control the damn demon. Which means I have to learn about the 'basics',” Zoro said and finally slowed down in his chewing. Sanji adjusted himself back on the box and huffed, nudging into Zoro but the swordsman didn't budge very far.

 

“What kind of basics could there be?” Sanji asked. He folded one leg, propped his heel at the edge of the box, and enjoyed his cigarette.

 

“Mostly everything that I found out on my own.” Zoro shrugged. His temper seemed to be waning in any case; perhaps the small secluded area probably helped with that. Sanji mused that at least Zoro was back to his normal human looking self. No more of the hints of demon remained like the day before. “Taking energy through dreams. When to stop taking energy. Discretion in dreams.” He paused and shot a glare in the general direction of the children who were blocked by the small cabin. “Not biting people.” Sanji snickered. “It's not funny. Little shit nearly put another scar on my leg.”

 

“Maybe they're just trying to tell you you're too much of a sour-puss,” Sanji said. Admittedly, he himself always found it amusing to get a reaction out of Zoro. Zoro scoffed and shoveled the last of his food into his mouth. “So you're going to spend the rest of the time here in school?”

 

“No.” Zoro handed the bowl back to Sanji, empty. “After this I'm going with the hunters to get something for the bonfire. Old man says it's the best place to practice anything dangerous. I don't exactly have years to spend here to pick it up.” Sanji nodded slowly and put the bowl aside. He was a bit perturbed by how busy Zoro was while they were there. He was hoping to spend some more time together since they decided to be lovers. Not that he felt too inclined to the act itself at the moment, but embracing and touching were rewards he thought he deserved for all the months of restraint and lost time.

 

Zoro sat there quietly for a bit and did not immediately move away since he was done eating so Sanji basked in the company while it was present. First thing he did was dust some dirt out of Zoro's hair and chuckled. “Did your lawn need more soil?”

 

“Fucking brats...” Zoro grumbled and hastily dusted most of it out of his hair. Sanji shrugged and after he put out his cigarette he wrapped his arm around Zoro's back, still leaning into him. Zoro eyed him critically for a moment but relaxed and mirrored Sanji's movement, encircling his arm around Sanji's back. “If the adults are anything like the kids I'll have to watch out for a hazing ritual.”

 

“Aw, they're accepting you as their own,” Sanji said with a smile, feeling those butterflies bounce around in his belly as they pressed together warmly. “I guess you'll be bringing back dinner.”

 

“Yeah.” Zoro even laid a kiss on Sanji's lips. “What do you want?” Sanji snorted because this was such an absurd conversation they were having. Down right domestic without much of a fight.

 

“You’re taking hunting requests now?” Sanji teased lightly. He himself had a preference for sea food, but the people of the mountains had more of a diet of land animal. Speaking of the mountain people, he’d have to ask a few of them to keep a close eye on Zoro or he’d get himself lost again. The last thing Sanji wanted to do was go searching for a lost marimo in the woods. **Again**.

 

“In case I run across it,” Zoro said quickly. “Not like I’ll go out of my way just for you or anything.”

 

“Of course not.” Sanji rolled his eyes. “If you come across any fish in the woods. Go ahead and bring that back.”

 

Zoro snorted out a laugh and muttered, “A fish in the woods.”

 

Sanji shrugged. It wouldn’t be that long until they were back out on the sea, and then they’d be doing more than enough fishing, but he never got sick of food from the sea. Sanji realized they were holding eye contact for far longer than normal. Perhaps because he really had no harsh things to say. Zoro wasn’t glaring at him, just watching him in what seemed to be a quiet revere. Sanji grew somewhat nervous because maybe it was one of the first moments he really felt Zoro also wanted to be in his company so it was new and a little overwhelming. His heart was thudding far too fast for such a stupid thing. Filling the silence was the best course of action. “When are you going to make up for that drunken mess, huh?” Sanji asked, his fingers tugging at the spot of Zoro’s coat where they rested. “You owe me.”

 

“I owe you, huh?” Zoro raised both brows with a light sneer. Zoro hooked his arm the rest of the way around Sanji’s waist and pulled him into his lap, startling Sanji slightly. He was still used to their physical contact being out of conflict rather than something intimate, but he settled quickly and his one arm braced around Zoro’s neck. Zoro’s arms and lap made a comfortable seat, Sanji determined as he relaxed into it. “As soon as we set sail again,” Zoro said.

 

Sanji thought about it a moment, calculating how many days they’d been there already. The log post still had three days to set and he was mildly amazed by how quickly the past week had flown by. “That’s still several days away,” he said, not wanting to wait that long. Sanji felt warm lips on his jaw and he glanced at Zoro, who then placed a kiss on his lips. They were light and could be easily mistaken for playful pecks. Sanji melted into them for several moments each, warmth flooding his skin and fueling the damn butterflies again. Then Zoro pulled back.

 

“You’re still not ‘up’ for anything,” Zoro said, as though he’d been making his own calculations through the kiss. Sanji huffed, drawing back with mild annoyance, but he couldn’t be too disgruntled with those kisses.

 

“I should be the one determining whether I’m _up_ for anything,” Sanji said. Yet it was true, he still didn’t feel anything sexual motivations. The butterflies wouldn’t be so noticeable if he could. “Damn demons keep taking energy.” Zoro stuck his tongue out at him briefly.

 

“By then we’ll have some means of privacy,” Zoro said and Sanji shrugged but he supposed it made sense. The crew was sharing a pair of tents; boys in one, girls in the other. It wasn’t like the constant hum of the sea or the creak of the ship that rocked them to sleep. The cave was a quiet, echoing cavern that was vacant and loud at the same time. Vacant because of the chilly mountain rocks and weather. Loud because tents did not muffle what their neighbors were doing. Frankly speaking, there was a lot of sex noises. Zoro and Sanji only laid next to each other the previous night because they were sharing with Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy. Sanji wasn’t sure how Luffy could snore though the whole thing. Usopp and Chopper each had a mild complaint. Zoro huffed and rolled over while Sanji plugged his ears. It didn’t last forever, but early night after the bonfire seemed to be when the cambions and their lovers became frisky.

 

“ _Some_ privacy,” Sanji agreed with a grain of salt. With a tiny ship like the Merry, he wasn’t exactly sure where they could find privacy like, say, a hotel room. They couldn’t really tie a sock to a door handle of the boys room, could they? Probably not.

 

“I’ll make sure to pay back my due then,” Zoro swore rather stoically; though the seriousness was hindered by a hand that squeezed Sanji’s rear end. Even though he’d been drained of sexual energy maybe a day and a half ago, Sanji felt a warm thrill tingle his skin and goose bumps spread out on his body. He looked forward to seeing exactly what Zoro had in mind.

 

“You’d better,” Sanji said and their lips touched again in silent confirmation. Sanji sighed into it. He could easily get used to moments like this, even if it was with a demon-marimo.

 

Well, _especially_ since it was a demon-marimo.

 

They were interrupted by some snickering and Zoro froze in mid-kiss to look around. Sanji looked over Zoro’s shoulder to see three of the kids from the earlier group. Two boys and a girl. Zoro glared at them rather fiercely.

 

“Go away, brats,” Zoro said harshly.

 

“Old man said to come get you, grass-head!” One of the boys said.

 

“Gra'th head, gra'th head!” The second, and younger, boy echoed with a lisp.

 

“Just because you have a grass head doesn't mean you can be lazy and miss class!” The little girl scolded cheerfully. Sanji chuckled but felt Zoro's hands loosen around him and he was pushed back into his own seat. He momentarily mourned the loss of warmth.

 

“It's like dealing with 20 of you,” Zoro muttered as he stood up.

 

Sanji smirked and couldn't help but say back, “Have fun at school, Grass Head. Try to make a new friend.”

 

Zoro mouthed an obvious 'fuck you' and as he approached the kids scattered, chanting their new favorite nick name. Sanji just smiled and went back to feeding people.

 

When Zoro's 'class' let out and immediately afterwards the hunters went out. Sanji got his chance to tell the old man not to take an eye off of Zoro or he'd get lost so he had pretty high confidence that their marimo would return without too much trouble.

 

Zoro did come back, albeit later than the rest as one hunter was tailing him and lead him back. Also, to Sanji's surprise, Zoro handed him a very large river salmon.

 

“I just happened to see it,” Zoro commented, though Sanji couldn't help but grin and note the frozen water droplets clinging to his grass head. He also couldn't stop smiling when the hunter who'd tailed him muttered that Zoro wouldn't come back without it.


	22. Rocking the Hammock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to just say a big thank you to everyone who left a nice review. I'm sort of glad this fic wasn't forgotten by you all and I'm glad you're enjoying it; I certainly have enjoyed writing every bit of it. The last pieces took longer to write than intended, but very worth it.

By the time the log post set, everyone of the Strawhat crew was itching to leave. Not because of the hospitable mountain tribe, but because they WERE pirates and their dreams were out on the sea, not the island full of cambion. Zoro was more than happy to call quits to the cambion kindergarten classes and more genuinely sorry that he could not learn more from the old geezer. He'd learned enough and decided he could fine tune any aspects he'd learned on the Going Merry.

 

Speaking of the Going Merry, Zoro was eager to fulfill his promise to pay Sanji back as soon as they set sail. The last couple of days Sanji's lust had returned and Sanji was much more receptive to his touch. It wasn't just slight affection filled kisses but those lingering ones that Zoro remembered from the Merry's galley. They were much better than the ones in the galley though. They were slower and not jumbled with the same amount of fear and nerves. There was something about knowing that Sanji wanted more that made the last few hours of packing almost unbearable. That, and Zoro swore Sanji started teasing him as soon as he got his lust back. Whether it was intentional or not was unknown, but Sanji would bump into him lightly, catch his eye, and just smile slyly before moving off to do something else. The wake of lust left in his trail wiped Zoro's mind of whatever he'd been doing seconds before. It only left him wanting to take Sanji back to the damn woods if it meant getting some privacy and giving a detailed preview on what he planned to do when they got on the ship.

 

Sanji _probably_ didn’t know the affect his own lust had on him, and Zoro was not the only cambion residing in the cavern. Cambion heads would perk up nearby when such moments would happen and their eyes followed Sanji, which tended to kill his blank state of mind and send him into a defensive stance. Any cambion he caught eyes with quickly went back to what they were doing and there was less growling needed; not that he had the satisfying tiger vocal cords to back it up anymore. The old man had taught him to guard Sanji's dream cloud at least for a few nights in sleep to let the others know Sanji was spoken for. It was effective for the most part, but that did not stop wandering eyes.

 

There was almost a strain to consummate their titles as lovers. Not just as a human to solidify the act, but something the demon in him craved to complete that requirement for 'mate'. The demon was far more impatient to do so than Zoro was, but Zoro also had control. He was determined to wait for complete privacy and not simply as soon as Sanji's lust returned. That didn’t mean Sanji made the wait easy.

 

Finally, with supplies packed, goodbyes yelled, and the log post set to the next island, the Going Merry set sail from Libertine. Zoro didn’t even let Sanji start figuring out dinner. He claimed the boy’s bunker with a sign on the trap door that had “Disturb us and die” scrawled over it and shut it after them. Sanji was standing on the floor as Zoro climbed back down, arms folded and looking like he wanted to pull out a cigarette.

 

“You're fine with putting a sign on the door but not with kissing in front of the crew?” Sanji asked.

 

“I don't care if they know we're doing it,” Zoro said as he reached the floor. “I just don't want them barging in or watching.” Zoro eyed Sanji, completely focused on this being the moment they forged that intimate link that they’d had to dance around; not just the past few days, but all the sexual tension that led up to it from the first moment the cook started sailing with them.

 

Sanji was stiff, looking a bit cornered and not as confident as before. Zoro stepped up to Sanji and leaned in, placing a kiss on his lips and curling his hands around his elbows to draw him in. Sanji relaxed into it but Zoro still tasted a mix of defensive nerves with the lust. “So?” Zoro asked.

 

“So?” Sanji rolled his shoulders, looking contemplative. “I'm not even sure where you expect us to do it here. The couch?”

 

“Or a hammock,” Zoro said off handedly. Sanji blinked at him.

 

“Can... is that even possible?” Sanji asked. Zoro raised a brow. He personally hadn't done it in a hammock, but now that the question had been stirred, he felt the urge to answer it.

 

“Let's find out,” Zoro said and made his way over to one of the low hanging ones, guiding Sanji with him. Sanji looked unsure, but he did not protest the idea. In fact, the more he seemed to think about it, the more his lust rose with whatever images were going through his head. Zoro dragged him into another kiss and Sanji fell into it easily, his fingers finding familiar refuge in Zoro's hair and shoulder. For a man that was always teasing him for it, Zoro suspected that Sanji liked his hair in one way or another.

 

Touching Sanji was easy, and the cook responded accordingly. He leaned into it, a mix of eager and nervous because Zoro's hands wandered a bit quicker than Sanji's did. He smoothed his hands down Sanji's sides until he reached the buttons on his jacket and started popping them through the holes. Sanji tugged his own tie loose and let it slide down to the floor. Then Sanji tugged Zoro's shirt from his haramaki, up over his head. Sanji's hands paused there, even as Zoro was still working on buttons; the annoying things that Zoro was currently hating. He wasn't sure why Sanji liked dealing with them. He peeled everything down Sanji's arms at once and immediately ran his hands up Sanji's warm, fairer flesh. Zoro leaned in and kissed Sanji's neck and collarbone as he felt the cook's arms wind safely around his neck and he allowed Zoro to partake in a small taste.

 

Being close to Sanji at that point wasn't just feeling the dips and spikes of energy. It was being in a haze of lust. Any fluctuations were minimal, like waves on a calm sea. Zoro's hands pressed into Sanji's pecs and dragged down, enjoying the firm muscle that was always hidden by layers of shirts. Sanji's pleasured breath was a satisfying reward, especially when he dragged him closer, their bodies flush and warm. Sanji's fingers clenched against his shoulder but there was a strained moment and Zoro pulled back, eyeing Sanji curiously.

 

“You do still want to do this, right?” Zoro asked and Sanji nodded.

 

“Yeah, of course,” Sanji said firmly, even a bit defensively.

 

“Then why are you so tense, cook?” Zoro let his hands fall to Sanji's waist, finding a comfortable junction at the hip bone and waist.

 

“I've never done this before with a man, not... you know,” he waved his hand dismissively, “besides what happened in the woods. I'm not... sure what to do. I'm still getting used to this.”

 

Zoro's let out a breath of something between annoyance and begrudging acceptance. He kept forgetting that Sanji had never been with a man before. Even with all those dreams, they didn't count towards any real life experience. He didn't want to hold off. He wanted to take Sanji. Complete that last step to actually being called lovers. He wanted to not only cross that line he'd put down when Sanji had come aboard but jump clear across it. “So, what, you don't want to go all the way or...”

 

“No, I _do_ ,” Sanji corrected quickly. “I don't want to wait or anything.” He looked away and his fists clenched on Zoro's shoulders. “But... touching you is, um... I'm not used to being allowed. Allowing myself, I mean.” Zoro paused but he slowly nodded. They were crossing all sorts of boundaries that day. And damn it if Sanji didn't look cute when he was admitting his insecurities; shy even. It was far from any look he'd seen before and he kind of liked it.

 

“Alright, it's fine,” Zoro said. “Just do what you're comfortable with. Tell me when you don't like something and I'll stop, okay?”

 

Sanji nodded and relaxed a bit before adding, “If you drain me again before we actually do it, I'm going to kick your ass.”

 

Zoro smirked. “Got it, got it.” He happened to be ignoring the knee jerk reaction to drink from Sanji's lust, especially since the promise of something better was to come out of it. He wanted to taste Sanji's orgasm as soon as possible and remind himself of what he couldn't remember when he was the demon. He wanted to savor it. After all, at that point, the cook was putting himself in Zoro's hands; that thought alone was a huge turn on.

 

Zoro shucked his pants and kicked off his boots before he sat in the hammock, beckoning the cook to do the same. He pulled his haramaki off last and watched Sanji unlace his belt and push down his pants with a mild bashful look on his face. Both bare, Zoro took Sanji's hand and pulled him into the hammock with him. They were both used to sleeping in the nets and knew the balance that was required to keep steady in the hammock. Balancing with two took some slight finagling but Zoro lay comfortably and Sanji sat astride Zoro's waist. The ropes gave a bit of a whine at first, unused to two people, but they held and Sanji let out a held breath. Zoro snickered, running his palms up Sanji's thighs; prime accessibility to Sanji's legs and ass was within arm’s reach.

 

“You thought it was going to break, didn't you,” Zoro guessed.

 

Sanji huffed. “I thought you were going to topple us over, but... I suppose you have a bit more coordination than that.” He placed his hands on Zoro's abdomen and then curiosity seemed to take over as his warm hands slid up his skin. Zoro smiled and took it as a sign that Sanji was relaxing into it. He pulled Sanji down into a kiss, his arm curling around his back to pull him closer and encouraged him to lay on top, though the hammock seemed to insist that they be side by side as it rolled them into that position. Sanji snickered and Zoro frowned, but he supposed he could work with it at the moment. Sanji's legs were still within reach and he squeezed his thigh right under his ass, ceasing the light laughter into a flush faced look of mild surprise.

 

They were pressed together flush in the netting and Zoro curled one arm under Sanji for comfort as his other hand wandered up over Sanji's ass, hip, and back, taking in his shape with his hands. Sanji's skin was taut with muscle; warm and inviting. He craned his neck down, kissing Sanji's shoulder, tasting his slightly smoky flesh. Sanji arched into him and his hands slid down Zoro's chest, seeming to give into the desire to explore. It was almost lazy and sweet, the rocking of the hammock only added to the pleasure of pressing against the cook. Sanji's breath hitched as Zoro left love marks along his neck and his pelvis moved whenever his hand caught something sensitive, such as a nipple and particularly between Sanji's thighs. Sanji's hands seemed to stick to the 'safety' of touching his chest but Zoro didn't leave one part untouched; chest, back, legs- especially legs. Those legs were both sexy and deadly. He even stroked Sanji's cock, bringing it to a complete hardness, and in turn, Sanji let out a soft, strained groan. It sent a shiver down Zoro's skin because Sanji had been fairly quiet since they began. It sounded restrained, an attempt to control his reactions and Zoro felt a determination to make Sanji lose that control.

 

Zoro moved, rolling back so he could grab his pants from the floor. It took a couple swings and a muffled curse but he dragged them closer and got out the corked flask from his pocket that he'd brought with him. While the people of the mountain didn't have any stores, they did have their own methods for lubrication and he made sure to get some before they left the island. It was a sort of mildly scented plant oil.

 

“Roll over,” Zoro said as they adjusted back to the first position with Sanji balancing on top. “Ready?” a courtesy question maybe, because Sanji was flushed, hard, and his lust was at a strong steady throb. Sanji nodded and he didn't bother asking the obvious 'what for?' as he saw the flask. Zoro poured the oil onto his fingers and tucked it at his side as his wet fingers pressed between Sanji’s ass cheeks. Sanji closed his eyes tight but Zoro didn't press in immediately. He pet the valley between his cheeks and watched the heat rise in Sanji's face and neck. Sanji's whole body was tight with nerves and Zoro pet his thigh as well. “Relax.”

 

Sanji let out a muffled laugh in his throat. “Easy for you to say.” In normal circumstances Zoro would have retorted but he just curled his finger and in it slid into Sanji. Sanji gasped, and a startled moan left him before he clamped his teeth down on his bottom lip, “Fuck...”

 

“Told you to relax,” Zoro said and let the finger rock in and out. Sanji didn't comment but his leg twitched and attempted to spread a bit more in the netting. Sanji was hot and tight inside. Zoro licked his lips at the thought of getting to be inside very soon. Sanji's head bowed, his hair falling forward to cover his face. Zoro worked the finger in, going as slowly as he could bare, though with Sanji being so quiet, he only had minimal signs to go by. His body was tense but willing. His lust was almost quivering with fluctuations. Zoro frowned and pulled himself up to press a kiss to Sanji's half hidden lips. “Hey. Talk to me, cook.”

 

Sanji blinked, seeming to snap out of his own head. “What?”

 

“Is this fine, or what?”

 

“It's fine,” Sanji said quickly and Zoro gave him a deep frown. Sanji's face was so red he was surprised the man still had enough blood for his cock. “It's just... embarrassing, okay.” Sanji's eye was fixated on Zoro's chest. “Every time I look at you you're looking at me so intensely...” Zoro couldn't help the laugh that escaped his throat and Sanji glared at him. “Shut UP, you have your damn finger in my ass and it's so... fuck...” Sanji's body tensed, squeezing around Zoro's finger and the cook made a surprised sort of moan again along with a clear spike of lust. Sanji stayed very still and breathed heavily. Finally he lifted his head and said, “I need to turn around.” Zoro blinked but nodded. He pulled out the finger and Sanji readjusted. He still straddled Zoro's lap but Zoro was getting a mighty fine view of Sanji's rear end. One of Sanji's hands rested on his thigh and he nodded, glancing over his shoulder at Zoro. “Okay.” Zoro added more oil and again, slid his finger back into the tight warmth. Zoro got to see Sanji's shoulders hunch up and his back quivered. Then of course the lovely view of Sanji's body taking his finger to the knuckle, arching forward gracefully. Zoro worked it in and he held Sanji's hip in his hand to keep him steady. Within moments Sanji seemed more relaxed and little pleasured breaths left him more easily.

 

Zoro added the second finger as Sanji relaxed and squeezed his hip right when Sanji jumped from it. The oil was added liberally, even dripping onto his own stomach as the fingers gained momentum. Sanji's body had delicious signals that showed the effect it had on him. His legs flexed and his abdomen contracted under his fingers. Hitches in his breath and little moans started to leak out of him the more he rubbed and teased his insides. His lust was a growing swell and Zoro licked his lips and he squeezed in the third finger.

 

Sanji's hands had a tight grip on his thighs and his hips were soon in tandem with Zoro's movements. Occasionally Sanji's body would tighten around him and it made Zoro only want to get inside more. He decided enough was enough when Sanji let out a shuddering whimper before a moan. He slid his fingers free and applied the oil to his ignored cock. Sanji looked over his shoulder at him again, this time his face was definitely less composed and a sweat had broken over his skin.

 

“Relax,” Zoro told him as he positioned himself under Sanji and squeezed the red butt cheek in his hand. “And lean back.” Sanji did lean back slowly and only jumped a little when he felt what was under him. Zoro guided him down and took most of the cook's weight easily in one hand as he was lowered. A soft gasp left Sanji but he did try to relax and took a few inches in with some effort, his weight shifting to brace himself on Zoro’s stomach. Zoro let out a soft curse, warmth surrounding him and his hands gripped Sanji's hips, telling himself to relax as well because he wanted to slam up into that heat.

 

Finally, Sanji's ass was flush with his pelvis and they were both breathing hard. Sanji seemed to hardly believe it himself because a hand briefly explored the space between them, -which there was none- and he sounded amazed. “Shit,” he muttered between a couple pants and Zoro smirked, which he probably would have gotten shit for if Sanji had been facing him.

 

“You feel good,” Zoro said, his own voice heavy.

 

Sanji hushed him sharply and Zoro got a glance of Sanji’s completely red face. “Shut up. Don’t start talking like that.” Normally that would have enticed Zoro to continue goading him, but he noticed that the swell of lust had receded. Not in the way that meant that Sanji was turned off, but in the way the ocean receded before a tsunami crashed down on shore. It meant that Sanji was very, very close. It wouldn’t take much to get Sanji to cum then, maybe a few jerks of his cock would make the fun end very quickly. Zoro briefly wondered if Sanji was susceptible to dirty talk and he immediately told himself that was for another time because it sent another wave of arousal to where he was already straining to hold back.

 

Zoro adjusted his feet in the netting to stabilize them both a bit more and he took Sanji’s shoulders, pulling him back so that the cook lay on top of him, this time without rolling to their sides. Sanji twitched and made a mild noise between protest and pleasure. He kissed Sanji’s nape and shoulder, his hands sliding over Sanji’s chest to relieve all the focus from where they were joined. Sanji let out a strained whimper but the receding lust returned without the crashing finish that Zoro anticipated. Zoro mused that they fit nicely together in that position. Flesh against flesh; like two locking pieces.

 

Sanji’s legs stretched out along his, toes pressing against the netting and his fingers touched Zoro where he was able; which was mostly along his side but one hand insisted on running through his hair at least once. Then they went to Zoro’s hands, pressing them more against his skin and his body arched as a sound of pleasure left him. Zoro groaned and rocked up into him, unable to hold back a moment more. Strained curses left Sanji’s mouth with nearly every exhale. The hammock started its own rocking motion and they fell into it, flowing with the motion of the sea and their lovemaking.

 

Sanji was not as loud as Zoro expected him to be but he was far from silent. Small, throaty noises escaped him and his body twitched against Zoro’s. The only reason he stayed on top of Zoro with all of his writhing was because of Zoro’s hands on his chest and belly. Heavy panting was interrupted by trembling moans. Hip movements rolled when leverage allowed. Zoro didn’t have room for powerful thrusts but he was deep in Sanji and the minimal movement alone seemed to overwhelm the cook.

 

Eventually Sanji’s hand left Zoro’s to start jerking himself off and it wasn’t long before Zoro felt the lust recede for the wave to come in. Zoro’s freed hand gripped Sanji’s ass and he drew back as far as he could to thrust in hard. That was moment Sanji’s voice broke; no cursing or words, just a loud keening groan that didn’t stop for several long seconds before the orgasm crashed into both of them, not unlike the proverbial wave.

 

It was deafening for a moment and it drowned out Zoro’s own completion, leaving his mind to tingle and his skin drenched with more than sweat. It was more than taking lust by mouth. It almost had a physical feel; wet and abrasive. Not unlike the sea, but then it was also Sanji, bold and powerful. It was all pretty much an essence of Sanji. It satisfied a deep carnal need in Zoro. Not just his hunger, but on some deeper level, Zoro had to agree: that was what perfection felt like. He wished it lasted longer than a few seconds but coming back to reality, he DID still have Sanji in his arms and that was just as good. Though any quiet reverie was interrupted by Sanji kicking him in the knee and demanding he reach over for his pants for a cigarette.

 

One cigarette light later they were still spooning but it had turned a little more sideways in the netting. They unlocked and finally let post coitus bliss take over. It was nice and quiet as Sanji worked on filling the ceiling with smoke and tiny sighs of pleasure left Sanji’s lips occasionally. It was one of those moments where words would just ruin the mood so Zoro didn’t even return the noises, he just rested his mouth against Sanji’s shoulder and gave lazy half kisses, which sometimes sparked one of those little pleasured noises. Sanji insisted on lacing their fingers together so even if Zoro wanted to doze off he couldn’t because Sanji’s fingers flexed and rubbed as though he didn’t know what hands felt like and he was using Zoro’s as a point of reference. It was pleasant, but ultimately distracting.

 

“So, what’s it taste like?” Sanji asked after he finally put his cigarette out and made an excellent toss into the ashtray that was by the mast.

 

“Hm?” Zoro asked, head still in a nice foggy haze and his eyes were closed.

 

“You’re always ‘eating’ but you never say what it tastes like. Lust or energy; whatever you call it.” Sanji was very languid and relaxed, a state Zoro never really got to enjoy with the cook. Not until then, in any case.

 

“It doesn’t really have one,” Zoro answered, a yawn threatening in the back of his throat. “Not like food anyway. It’s um…” His brain was fogged because the lust had receded into a calm well again, deep inside the cook. “It’s like tasting… someone.” He shrugged and just said whatever came to mind. “It’s like drinking fog. Like… being able to taste what season it is by the smell.” Sanji made a movement as though nodding and he rolled over so he lay half on top of his chest. Zoro opened an eye to look at him and Sanji had relinquished his hand in favor of resting his arms on Zoro’s chest and using them as a pillow for his chin. His hair was ruffled but still stubbornly covering one eye, leaving the other to stare curiously at Zoro.

 

“What do I taste like?” Sanji asked. Zoro blinked, far more awake than he wanted to be then. And damn the cook for somehow looking cute again. Sanji was a full grown man and he was not supposed to have a wide eyed look of curiosity on his face.

 

“Uh…” Zoro scratched his hair, not really sure how to answer that. Or rather, he wasn’t exactly sure how to answer that without it sounding completely cheesy and being taken far too romantically by a love-cook like Sanji. Though ‘perfection’ was pretty hard to misinterpret. Even Zoro couldn’t put all the elements that were in that taste into words, and he’d been taking Sanji’s lust for months. He just knew it was Sanji’s immediately and nothing else felt like it.

 

Sanji poked Zoro’s chest after a long stretch of silence, raising his curly brow. “Explain it, damn marimo.”

 

Zoro’s face heated up and he really didn’t want to get into it right then. “It’s not important.”

 

“Come on, tell me.” Sanji scooted closer and landed a kiss on Zoro’s lips. Zoro huffed and felt stupid for it but he gave in because of that little peck.

 

“It’s not…” He huffed. “It’s not one thing, it’s too many. It’s the nature of the sea. It’s the way a fire burns. It’s the way a fight makes a heart race. The way alcohol first burns as it goes down.” Sanji blinked at him and didn’t reply. Zoro felt his face heat up because he felt stupid for saying just that much. “What?”

 

“Nothing.” Sanji settled down on him, as though ready to listen to more. “Go on. It actually… sounds kind of romantic.” Sanji had one of those bashful, love struck grins on his face and it was utterly ridiculous. It just made Zoro’s heart thud uncomfortably so he looked away. Damn cook. He rolled them over so Sanji was pressed more into the netting, his chest a tangled mess of feelings and he did not want to see hearts radiating off the cook when the moment had been nice and careless.

 

“Shut up, I’m taking a nap whether you like it or not,” Zoro said firmly. Sanji made a muffled noise but lay content with Zoro after his arms snaked their way around his neck, chuckling lightly in warm contentment. Zoro wasn’t sure whether it was too much gooey affection or just right. Either way, he was going to pretend he was asleep far faster than he actually was.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, little note about hammock sex. I've seen very little of it done, and almost none done well so I feel like a bit of a pioneer when I wrote it. The straw-hat crew actually have hammocks so I don't think it would be a far stretch for possibilities. I actually sleep in a hammock so I guess that's what really made me want to do it. I protest the ones that are built with stabilizing bars though, because those are the ones that will make you flip over.


	23. Tigers vs. Trays, GO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demon form activated.

Returning to his fully stocked galley after Libertine Island, for Sanji, was like the first cigarette in the morning; refreshing and gave him that sense of home. A sense of duty and routine returned to him the next day along with a lingering bliss from the previous evening. He was back to serving his crew food and despite the busy hours, he found the motions familiar and he could fall back into them easily.

 

Like serving the ladies their afternoon snack at the stern, a peaceful place from the rowdy boys that had taken up the main deck. Nami's citrus trees and the open sea being their only view.

 

“Sanji.”

 

“Yes, Nami-swan~” Sanji turned on the spot, his serving tray balancing one last desert in the center of its reflective surface. It was a sunny day after leaving Libertine Island. Their navigator was enjoying the refreshing citrus sorbet he'd made her. She was under the shade of the umbrella that robin had set up for them to share at a small round table. Robin sat with her, a book in hand and spoon in the other; chocolate sorbet with a hint of hazel within reach. “Something else you need?” he asked them.

 

“No, no,” Nami assured him with a casual wave. “You just seem...” She looked to Robin for assistance.

 

Robin glanced up from her book and gave one of her quiet smiles. “You seem quiet, but happy at the same time,” she deduced.

 

“You have _the glow_ ,” Nami added with a smile and a wink.

 

Sanji would always enjoy talking with the ladies, no matter what it be about. He'd swoon and praise their every word and aspect. He was not so familiar with actually being the center point of attention even though they were certainly his most of the time. He didn't doubt their observational skills, but he didn't think they paid him as much mind. And that was okay with him as long as they continued to allow him to pamper them like the goddesses that they were.

 

He should have appreciated the fact that Nami had winked at him knowingly but he was actually slightly embarrassed about his attention being taken from them. He felt... normal after he and Zoro had done it. As in, he wasn't completely drained of sexual energy, but his mind was in a haze, drifting along the day. Mostly back to the day before and especially to Zoro.

 

Since confessing to the swordsman, Zoro's attention had been on him far more intensely than Sanji was used to. It made his heart start thudding in his throat and Sanji found he still had trouble keeping eye contact. He had Zoro's attention and he wasn't adjusted to how intense it was outside of a fight. He couldn't even stand it during sex. Just thinking of Zoro watching him as they were intimate... gave him too much of a rush; it would have ended too quickly in the hammock.

 

It was... overwhelming, Sanji decided. He enjoyed it completely, even with the minor soreness of a new activity. There were a few aspects his mind kept returning to for hours on end. Such as the complete and utter fullness he felt with Zoro inside of him. He thought he'd only imagined it in that dream on the beach. And then the demon having zeroed in on it and snuck a digit into him by surprise; it really did feel better than he was expecting. After all, he was a man and he was fairly sure that normal men thought with their dicks, not their... ass-ets.

 

Sanji cleared his throat and could feel the heat rise to his face. Surely the ladies didn't want to know about _those_ details.

 

“I apologize if I'm a bit distracted,” Sanji said. Unfamiliar conversations with the ladies made him a bit more formal with them.

 

“Not at all.” Robin tasted her chilled treat casually.

 

“So are you and Zoro an official thing now?” Nami asked.

 

“Ah, yes...” Sanji took a moment to mourn his bachelorhood. He gave them a deep bow. “I'm proverbially off the market.” It was hard to word it even in his head how it felt. Especially with Zoro being the reason for it. He stood with a bright smile. “But do not fear, I will continue to treat you both lovely ladies with every bit of love and attention you deserve.”

 

Robin chuckled. “I did not think Zoro would approve of that.”

 

Sanji huffed at the thought of Zoro getting angry at his adoration of women. “As if I need his permission to show affection to my nakama, or any lady that deserves my assistance.” And that was of course, every lady. Robin and Nami exchanged amused glances before pointing out the remaining dish on the tray.

 

“So is the last dish for Zoro?” She asked.

 

Sanji paused and looked at the remaining treat. Mint and bitter chocolate sorbet. He'd been tinkering with it since his mind would not kick the damn marimo out of it. It was not a traditional desert in that it leaned more towards salty than sweet. It could taste better in in his opinion but he knew Zoro didn't appreciate sweet things.

 

“I'm... trying something new and he needs to taste test it for me,” Sanji said. It was still difficult to talk about casually. It wasn't quite as fluid as with serving the women tasty treats. His affections and passions were part of his food after all.

 

The three of them were alerted to the other half of the crew mostly because of the accelerated noise level that had that edge of panic to it. The kind that usually followed their captain's curiosity and often got them into trouble. Nami's citrus trees blocked most of what was going on from the main deck. It was something Sanji would normally ignore, though when Merry gave a small but sudden lurch, it nearly made him lose balance of the tray he held. Nami nearly fell out of her chair and Robin's devil fruit hands popped up to catch anything that may actually topple over, including her own chair, the umbrella, and frozen dessert.

 

Sanji was the first one up and around the galley cabin. Half way down the stairs he halted mid way because he could see what had caused the upset of the ship. Taking up the main deck from port to starboard, was a huge black tiger with green stripes. It was laying on its side and curled half way around the main mast. Two proportionate bat wings were curled up at his back, looking cramped and shifting to get comfortable. The tiger's ears were familiarly bat wings instead of normal feline ears, but he was clearly all animal now and no longer human looking.

 

Sanji had to stare a moment and his mind flashed back the violence of wild cambion in the woods. Usopp and Chopper were still freaking out and hugging each other for the moment from whatever had transpired and Luffy of course looked completely excited.

 

The beast was clearly Zoro, Sanji knew that. However, the caution for Sanji was whether it was his Zoro or the demon he'd encountered instead. The tiger-bat turned his head and met his intense gaze with Sanji's for a moment and Sanji relaxed, feeling the recognition in them instead of the blank stare.

 

“We finally got a ships' cat,” he said calmly.

 

“Sanji, it's Zoro!” Luffy said excitedly, waving his arms in the air. “Zoro! Zoro! Flap your wings!”

 

“He doesn't have enough room to Luffy! He'll knock over the main mast!” Usopp said loudly, fearing more for the Merry than his life. “Just laying down nearly capsized us!”

 

Sanji eyed Zoro in return for a moment before Zoro gave one of those greeting chuffs he did as a demon and lifted his head proudly as though he'd just proved something, but Sanji had no clue what it was.

 

“What are you looking so proud about? Nearly capsizing the ship?” Sanji sighed and his bat wing ears gave an annoying twitch. Chopper had been released from Usopp's hold and scampered to Sanji.

 

“Luffy and Usopp wanted to see the result of Zoro's demon training and he said he was taught how to let out his full demon form but hadn't done it completely yet,” Chopper said. “So he took a nap and a few moments later, he grew so huge!” Sanji blinked and looked at Zoro who gave a yawn that could swallow someone whole and probably miss all the flesh tearing teeth. “He's still waking up, I think.”

 

“He's always falling asleep and waking up on his own time,” Sanji felt annoyed. “How useless is his demon form that he has to be asleep to bring it out?” Though looking back he only remembered Zoro's body changing after he slept. It probably was because he was a cambion; a lust eating, dream-walking asshole.

 

“Yeah, I suppose it's not useful if we get into a fight,” Chopper agreed. Zoro gave an annoyed sound and huffed along with a growl. Chopper listened and then said, “Zoro said he doesn't need this form to fight. He commented that his paws can't even hold swords now.”

 

“You have CLAWS now, moss-cat. Your swords would be as useful as toothpicks,” Sanji said.

 

Zoro took a moment to inspect his huge paws, curled black claws appeared when he flexed them but he seemed dissatisfied.

 

“He says he needs BIG swords.” Chopper translated.

 

Sanji let out an amused huff and rubbed his hand down his face. “Single minded idiot...” He then held up the tray, which still beheld the bowl of iced treat. He was disappointed with the timing most of all, “I was going to give you this but now that you're a huge cat, who's going to test it?”

 

Zoro opened his huge jaws again and held open those huge teeth again. It was sort of comical the way the ears flared out a bit and held it as Chopper translated, “He said he can eat it like this.”

 

This annoyed Sanji. He took the bowl in one hand and knocked Zoro over the nose with the tray, startling the lazy looking cat-bat.

 

“You can't taste it as a cat, you have to do it as a human, damn demon,” Sanji snapped. Honestly, how was he supposed to get a good read off of Zoro as a demon with Chopper translating everything. It was so unsatisfying. The man was hard enough to read as a human but as a cat, an impossible feat.

 

Zoro's ears dropped into an annoyed fashion and he rubbed his nose with his paw. He quickly recovered from surprise but instead of turning aggressive and bearing his teeth he just lifted the paw again and Sanji found himself flat on the deck under said paw, the wind knocked out of him. It was clear Zoro wasn't even trying to hurt him, but Sanji got the message that Zoro's demon form was heavy with muscle as he used it to pin him down on the deck. By some miracle, he had not spilled the dessert. “Oi! If you make me spill this, I'll kick your fuzzy ass into the sea!” Sanji threatened. Zoro still looked annoyed with him but his movements were still those of a half asleep cat. Sanji wedged his leg under the paw and shoved his foot into the pad of the paw. Zoro still look annoyed with him as Sanji set the dessert aside to safety and then resumed whatever fight they were tangled up in. It became more like a cat and mouse game rather than their usual shoe and sword dance. This woke Zoro up quickly and his wings stretched out and the tip of his tail flicked.

 

But the tiny ship could only take so much because when Zoro sat up and was determined to take the upper 'hand', the Merry rocked and a certain amount of creaking was enough for Usopp and Nami to freak out. Nami put a stop to the fight before it gained the momentum to topple them over.

 

The sorbet did not spill, primarily because in their fight, Luffy found it and devoured it. His comment was 'Yum!' but Luffy's taste was hardly refined and not even close to the opinion Sanji had been looking for. Zoro settled down on the main deck again and tolerated the attention well as the rest of the crew got their fill of his new form without the danger of being too close to his claws. Sanji, on the other hand, made his seat the very forearm that had pinned him minutes before. It was like having a warm fury log under him and behind him was Zoro's thick mane, which was actually very comfortable to lean against. Warm and cushiony. Zoro ranged from looking bored to annoyed as the rest of the crew acclimated themselves to his new appearance. Luffy had wrapped his limbs around the end of Zoro's tail and was riding it like a bucking bronco because the more he enjoyed the ride, the more it twitched in annoyance. Usopp used the change to inspect Zoro's wings and make sketches of them for some future project or maybe for the artistic value. The girls sat near by and shared their deserts with Chopper and commented on Zoro's cute and tame appearance. Zoro just turned his head away from them to ignore them but Sanji smirked when Zoro's ears took on that downward embarrassed appearance.

 

“Such an unpractical demon form you have,” Sanji commented dryly. It was both truth and a falsity. It was a powerful form that was for sure, but Zoro's willingness to fight in it and turning into it was a big hassle. Zoro's head and one of the ear wings opened towards him to show he was listening. It was a slight movement, but one Sanji found comforting because of the contrasted conversation from the woods. At least Zoro couldn't verbally argue back, which was sort of nice, but also a bit missed on Sanji's end.

 

Sanji took out a cigarette and lit up. Then he relaxed into the thick fur behind him and stretched out his legs on the deck. He let out a breath of smoke that Zoro's ear lazily fanned away. Sanji placed his whole arm under Zoro's chin and gave it an affectionate rub, satisfied when Zoro relaxed his bulk into it. Sanji was glad he found Zoro before he completely turned to this monstrosity of a wild cat. He was amazed by his size over all and knew they never could have transported the wild demon personality to the next island in the Going Merry. He just could not be contained if he didn't want to be. Though really, that was normal for Zoro as well. “At least you make a fine fur covered couch.” Zoro turned his head abruptly and snuffed out an annoyed breath into Sanji's hair. Sanji chuckled. It was so bizarre to also know this creature his lover. At least Zoro was much better with affection in this form because rubbing under Zoro's chin not only made Zoro stretch his neck out for more, the occasional feline nuzzle (When no one was looking, of course) that ranged from Sanji's head to his arm was a wonderful sensation. And absolutely adorable to boot.

 

Sanji supposed he'd have to try the dessert at another time, and also get Zoro back for messing up his plans.

 


	24. It's Very Important to Tag Your Pets

Sanji made a request of Usopp the next day when things were back to a more standard day on the Merry. The sharp shooter gave him an odd look and then chuckled, his only comment being that he didn't think Zoro would appreciate it.

 

He made it beautiful and professional looking anyway.

 

Sanji thanked Usopp with one of his better snacks from the galley and took a moment to appreciate it. It was a hand sized, diamond shaped piece of brass. Etched letters were placed neatly on the surface: “Ship's cat. If found, return to Sanji of the Straw-hat crew”. Sanji loved it and was even more delighted when Usopp had a matching round bell that could go with it. Sanji strung both on a strand of ribbon and chuckled to himself as he placed it in his pocket, the bell muffled by the ribbon end stuffed part way in.

 

Zoro had thankfully turned back to a human the next day after a long nap. His body covered with a blanket instead of clothes for a bit; not that Zoro cared, but Sanji certainly did for several reasons: Integrity of the ladies, general indecency, mild embarrassment at his own body's attraction, and second hand embarrassment because it was his lover being indecent. The day Sanji got the tag and bell from Usopp was probably the most normal he'd had since learning Zoro was a cambion. They went about their normal routine; a comforting thing. Sanji was constantly amused by the thought of Zoro wearing the bell, ever since he'd thought of it when he'd led the demon back towards the ship. The gag was too good to pass up, even if it was just funny in his own mind.

 

That evening he had already served the ladies their desert and he knew Zoro would be finishing up what ever exercises he'd planned for himself and Sanji was going to catch him before he took his post workout nap. He had a tray in hand with a bottle of sake and a bowl of sorbet. The sun was waning and Sanji caught Zoro as he pulled his shirt back on. Sanji felt excitement, perhaps because he also just wanted to spend the evening with Zoro on the ship. On Libertine they had been so busy and there wasn't always time to find a time to relax. Especially with the unexpectedness of their captain. An opportunity to lean towards the romantic weighed on Sanji's mind and he was going to have it.

 

Sanji took the sake bottle and a little shake was enough to get Zoro's attention. Sanji smirked and placed the bottle back on the tray.

 

“A drink for your time, swordsman?” Sanji said. Zoro relaxed and his eyes were drawn up to Sanji in that way he was still getting used to. Sanji felt his face flush lightly as Zoro's focus shifted from the bottle to Sanji and a flirtatious smirk crossed Zoro's mouth. The attention still thrilled him but he was getting a better handle on the rush and was determined to enjoy it for more than just a few flustered seconds.

 

“As long as the bottle still has sake, cook,” Zoro replied and plucked it from the tray. Sanji allowed it and lightly touched Zoro's arm before leading the way to the quieter stern of the ship. Zoro followed wordlessly, opening the bottle along the way. The table Nami and Robin had been used the day before was still there and Sanji sat at it, placing the tray beside him. Zoro joined him, even pulling up the chair without needing a prompt to do so.

 

“You still haven't tried the dessert I made earlier.” Sanji presented the dish and a spoon before Zoro.

 

“I told you to put it in my mouth,” Zoro said as he actually picked up the spoon and set down the bottle.

 

“You can't enjoy it as a cat-bat,” Sanji said with slight annoyance. “It must be enjoyed. You cambion have no sense of dignified taste when you're animals.”

 

“How would you know?” Zoro asked

 

“I fed a whole tribe of them and all the animals ate exactly like that; animals.”

 

“Huh,” Zoro shrugged and finally indulged Sanji, placing the sorbet filled spoon in his mouth. Sanji waited expectedly and Zoro eyed him, giving him a suspicious look.

 

“Well?” Sanji asked after possibly the longest 3 second stare for any indication of like or dislike.

 

“You're not going to be so intense about every time you give me something, are you?” Zoro asked and Sanji sat up in his seat. Alright, maybe he'd been leaning in far too close to the bowl.

 

“No, no, of course not,” Sanji drew himself back and let Zoro enjoy his the snack. Sanji knew Zoro didn't really enjoy sweets, so he'd reduced sugar to the minimal amount and thought the flavors and cool ice crystals would play well with the sake while they were in a summer climate. Sanji puffed through a cigarette and wasn't disappointed when he was handed back an empty bowl and spoon.

 

“It was actually good,” Zoro said, washing down the last of it with a swig of sake.

 

“What do you mean _actually_?” Sanji partook in partial defense, but he also partially wanted to preen in the face of an actual compliment.

 

“I don't like sweets. I thought it was something you made for the women,” Zoro admitted. Sanji gave him a proud smile.

 

“I know you better than that,” Sanji said and the dish was set aside for later. He leaned his elbows on the table, enjoying the smoke, the sea breeze, and the company. Zoro gave a calm smirk that made him look handsome and Sanji did have to glance away, just for a moment to collect his thoughts. It was ridiculous how one man could make his heart thud so hard with the right amount of attention. It was still all very new and unfamiliar than his usual ways of catering to women. He was still working with what to say half the time.

 

Zoro shifted his seat and Sanji found Zoro's hand covering his own on the wooden surface. Zoro nodded to the bottle, indicating it was still partly full. “We still got some time.” Sanji also smiled and also scooted his chair closer so their arms were pressed into one another and their body heat could mingle easily. It was romantic in its own quiet way. Sanji knew Zoro had just trained and he was probably ready for a nap so enjoying the mellow quiet together was well timed and well deserved. Their fingers mingled and laced as more time drifted by and small nuances in the way their fingers moved was something he was sure Zoro wouldn't be up for in public. Zoro was relaxed and seemed to be enjoying his company in return. The setting sun warmed their backs. A rare calm, Sanji was sure.

 

“You're not going to start treating me like the women, are you?” Zoro asked casually.

 

Sanji huffed with a smile. “As if I could mistake you for a woman.” His more nimble fingers felt the callouses between the joints of Zoro's palm. They were solid and warm and Sanji didn't think their hands should fit together at all. Yet, they were not as brick like as they seemed. They were more like... paws or claws of some big beast. “I'm a cook, first and foremost. And we're lovers. So, I wanted to make something you might like.” He could feel Zoro's intense gaze on him so Sanji rubbed at a stray scar on Zoro's hand, finding both his hands had wandered to explore their new territory. “If you don't like it, I'll make something else.” Just because Zoro finished the bowl didn't mean much in this crew. He expected them to consume everything. He'd be insulted if they didn't and they knew that by now.

 

“I did like it,” Zoro said, “It was good with the sake.”

 

“But?” Sanji pressed

 

“But what?” Zoro raised a brow.

 

“There's always a but in culinary dishes so I can improve upon it,” Sanji said stubbornly.

 

Zoro's brow bunched up as he seemed to think about it, then he leaned back in his seat. “Not as good as your kiss.” Sanji felt heat flush his face.

 

“You can't just give me a line like that as an answer,” Sanji said.

 

“Well you were the one fishing for it,” Zoro said with a smirk as he looked at him. “Give me one of those.”

 

“You're demanding one now are you?” Sanji huffed and matched a playful stare with him. Sanji leaned in, placing a kiss on Zoro's smirking mouth. “I hope you don't expect one with every meal.”

 

“Why not? You taste the best.” Zoro said. Sanji's face flushed more with such terrible lines. It felt odd, a marimo flirting with him. He kind of liked it.

 

“I'm not food,” Sanji protested.

 

“Well I did nearly starve without you. So in a way, you are,” Zoro said. Sanji was sure Zoro was not actually trying to be antagonistic right then, but it edged far into a territory that Sanji didn't enjoy or understand. Maybe because he never would as a human. Zoro adjusted his grip on Sanji's hand and his eyes met Zoro's again. “Cambion need to feed off of others. You get that much, don't you, cook?”

 

“Yes, I get it.” Sanji had just been on an island that circled around that idea. Oddly, they weren't as monstrous as he thought it would be in a tribe like they saw.

 

“I don't _have_ to to this,” Zoro secured their hand holding. “I _want_ to though. So don't go thinking I'm doing it just for a meal.”

 

Sanji relaxed and the butterflies returned at stranger and stranger times. He still wasn't sure what to expect with Zoro or exactly how to love the man/cambion/marimo but he certainly wanted to continue learning how.

 

“Fine, I won't,” Sanji said and kissed Zoro again; this time for longer than a peck. Their hands unraveled naturally as Zoro's arm moved to curl around Sanji's back and bring him in closer. The taste of mint, chocolate, and sake was refreshing and it brought a smile to Sanji's face. He supposed he could have curled into it and enjoyed it quietly, but knowing there would be more moments like that in the future made it easier to draw his little gift from his pocket. He deepened the kiss as he slid his arms around Zoro's neck. He looped the ribbon around, drawing it back to tie a decorative bow in the front. Zoro's confused and freshly kissed face gave him the precious seconds for Sanji to admire and secure the knot. Then he gathered the dishes and stood up as Zoro pulled at the tag and the little bell rang, giving him more time to kiss Zoro on the forehead and said, “Glad you enjoyed your snack, bat-cat.” He watched as Zoro fiddled to actually see what Sanji had done to him.

 

“I'm NOT the ship's cat,” Zoro said loudly and Sanji laughed as he escaped towards his galley. He knew he could get more kisses later, but the flush of anger and embarrassment that was on Zoro's face was priceless. It might take him some time to get used to loving a cambion, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to have fun with it.

 

 

-The End-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter ladies and gents. This has been a very fun fic to write and long in posting, but it is complete. I hope you've enjoyed the ride to the end. If you have any questions or comments then I welcome all and will try to get to them all promptly. Thank you all who have already commented, I enjoy every one I get :)
> 
> I of course have some final thoughts that I could not fit into the story. Such as, Zoro being Sanji's glorious feline mount at some point. The down side being if Sanji is not steering Zoro, they would get lost. Multiple times. So Battle Cat Cambion Zoro might be a flop and it's best to leave him as a lost marimo.
> 
> The other thought was that I was theorizing why Zoro was part bat. Obviously wings are freaking cool, but they're kind of a novelty here because he's too heavy to really do anything but fall more gracefully. My theory is that Zoro travels more by hearing more than sight, not only for my fic but for the canon as well. Bats travel using echolocation and Zoro might do the same naturally. He has fought blind in the anime with little problem before and it just translates very well with how he still ends up where he needs to be. He just takes a longer path than everyone else.
> 
> If you liked my fanfiction, please check out My Books! A link can be found at the end of my profile page.
> 
> That's all folks. Have a wonderful and lovely day!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [In Your Dreams (fanart)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2886170) by [MiharuStar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiharuStar/pseuds/MiharuStar)




End file.
